


Lost and Found

by waitingforwonhui



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Confessions, Lots of kissing, M/M, Pining, Resolved Sexual Tension, Strangers to Lovers, all places names and unis mentioned are fictional, lots of wisdom here lol, not explicit, still steamy, they are slightly younger here for background reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:40:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25556749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waitingforwonhui/pseuds/waitingforwonhui
Summary: When Wonwoo's bus drives off without him and he finds himself left stranded at a random rest stop out in the nowhere, he meets a strange stranger called Jun who makes it his mission to reunite Wownoo with his belongings left on the bus.(I am horrible with summaries but basically, WonHui meet at a rest stop and get on a road trip together. It's gonna be good, I promise.)
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Comments: 101
Kudos: 171





	1. one.

**Author's Note:**

> hi there, after a long time, I am at it again with a new chaptered fic for my otp WonHui
> 
> buckle up, this is gonna be a fun ride!
> 
> also, i update fast :)))

Wonwoo doesn't even know how he's managed to keep it together for the past half an hour or so. It's not like literally all of his stuff has taken off and is currently travelling on a bus without him. Only that that's exactly what happened.

With every second that passes as he sits on the cold hard floor in front of a small convenience store at a rest stop on the highway, all of Wonwoo's belongings - including his wallet, money, credit cards and phone - move further and further away from him. He leans his head back on the wall and closes his eyes to take a couple more deep breaths before he can gather enough courage to go into the convenience store and ask the cashier if he could use a phone to call the bus drivers.

He has always been too introverted to function but this is an actual emergency. How can he be unable to ask for help in a situation like this? Wonwoo curses himself under his breath. His life would be so much easier had he learned basic social skills earlier in life but all he ever did was read books, play games and hang out with the same two friends he knew since kindergarten. One would think university life would give him a great opportunity to make friends or at least figure out how to talk to people but all it ever did was stress him out, make him question his life choices and develop a grudge towards his father who sort of forced him into studying economics.

Sure, he has met people in university but only with the encouraging help of alcohol at random - and rare - parties to which his only friend Soonyoung would occasionally drag him. For the most part, Wonwoo has managed to avoid even those. It can't be helped. He has long given up overcoming his social anxiety and deemed an extensive social circle as overrated but of course, nobody - not even he - expected to end up all alone at some pit stop on the highway without even his phone on him.

Wonwoo didn't even know that he gets travel sick until about an hour into the bus ride from his university town to the city where his aunt lives where he was headed. Just about when the bus stopped earlier, Wonwoo was one of the first people to get off and barely even made it to the restrooms before he started to throw up everything he ate in the morning and probably the day before too. He didn't even register how much time had passed. Even now, he wouldn't be able to tell how long he had been in there vomiting his soul out of his body but once he finally felt like he could walk on his own and away from the less than sanitary toilet seat, his bus was gone.

He had searched the entire rest stop. He paced all the parking lots several times and walked around the petrol station and the small convenience store each at least seven rounds just to make sure the bus was not perhaps covered by another vehicle and Wonwoo just couldn't see it. It's not a small thing to vanish if he's perfectly honest but he had to make sure because if it wasn't hidden anywhere around there, it meant it was gone. It meant the bus had left without Wonwoo. It meant Wonwoo was left behind, all alone, in the middle of a highway who knows where.

And that is exactly what happened. Wonwoo's only chance to get his stuff back and potentially - hopefully - have the bus drivers come back for him is to either ask a complete stranger at the rest stop if he could use their phone to make a call or to do the same - but inside of the convenience store. He has opted for the latter thinking that would be less creepy and feel less like an impossible task. Wonwoo has made that decision about twenty minutes ago but he's still been unable to get up from the floor and drag himself inside to talk to the middle-aged cashier who seemed to be way too into the soap opera playing on her phone to even notice he was there.

He knows very well that the longer he tries to avoid to ask for help, the further away the bus moves from him and the more unlikely it gets that they would return for him, yet it doesn't seem like enough of an emergency to make him go inside and do it.

Wonwoo is already imagining his life without his phone. He can see himself block his credit card over e-mail and wonders in which direction he would have to walk to get to his aunt. He comes to the conclusion that it would be much wiser to just walk back towards his university again because his aunt is still about a two-day car ride away, at least that's how long the bus would have taken to get to Wonwoo's desired destination.

He lets out a strained breath when he hears a voice above him ask, "Alright, I just gotta ask what's the story behind that sad, pale face?"

Wonwoo's eyes open up almost comically big when he looks up to meet the pair of the tall - and admittedly handsome - guy who just asked the question.

"Excuse me?" He manages to let out.

The stranger squats down in front of him and is now eye to eye, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you but you seem so lost and frankly, a little ill-looking. I just- is everything okay?"

The guy is definitely handsome. Almost ridiculously so, Wonwoo thinks as he looks right into his face. His hair is styled quite naturally in a way that shows off a little bit of his forehead, it's brown mostly but has a reddish sheen to it which really adds to the aesthetic of this man's appearance. He has a high nose, plush lips and big, round eyes looking at Wonwoo's face as if they're trying to find something hidden in there. As if there was a secret to uncover in Wonwoo's eyes.

He is a little mesmerised and has to make himself snap out of it before he clears his throat to answer, "I- well... I was left behind."

"What? By whom?" The stranger looks appalled and Wonwoo thinks it's unusual to have such a strong reaction towards someone he only just met but perhaps this dude is just very empathetic. He's heard of all kinds of people.

"Uh, by my bus," Wonwoo answers intelligently.

"What?" The stranger repeats. "The bus driver just left a passenger behind? That's incredibly irresponsible."

"Well, it's kind of my own fault," Wonwoo says with a hoarse voice. "I got sick, uh... I was in the bathroom... for long."

He says the last two words barely above a whisper and immediately wonders if he's oversharing. After all, this man is just a stranger. He doesn't know Wonwoo and he probably doesn't want to hear about him being sick. But then again, he asked and he doesn't look disgusted at all. He looks aggravated if anything.

"They left a sick passenger behind?"

"To be fair, they didn't know I was sick," Wonwoo elaborates.

"But someone must have seen you on the bus," the other man argues. "How did nobody inform the driver about your state or that you're missing? How does this happen?"

"I tend to keep to myself," Wonwoo says quietly.

The stranger frowns while he looks Wonwoo up and down.

"Well, you should call them," he adds.

"Yeah, see... my phone is on the bus too," Wonwoo explains with embarrassment. "So is my wallet and... well, _everything._ "

Wonwoo catches a pout quickly form and immediately disappear on the stranger's lips and he can't help but find it endearing. Then, all of a sudden, he widens his eyes and opens his mouth with a small _ah_ sound before he reaches into his back pocket and takes out a cell phone.

"You can use mine," he offers while holding the device right in front of Wonwoo.

"Oh, thanks," Wonwoo says genuinely surprised. He takes the phone and stares at it for a second until he realises that he doesn't have the bus company's phone number. "Can I google the bus agency? I don't know the number by heart and-"

"Of course, of course," the stranger interrupts with a quick wave of his hand. "Whatever it takes to get you back on the bus and reunited with your belongings."

A small chuckle escapes Wonwoo who didn't really have anything to smile or laugh at for a good couple of hours. The way this guy carries himself and the way he just casually talks to him seems all a little odd to Wonwoo but he seems nice and generous and so far he is proving to be quite useful.

"Thank you," Wonwoo says and starts looking up the website he used to buy the bus ticket to see if there is a contact number anywhere. He quickly finds a phone number to the agency but of course, there is no number to call the bus drivers directly. Nevertheless, it's better than nothing Wonwoo thinks and calls the bus company from the stranger's phone.

Once he explains his situation, he is asked to provide some personal information to confirm his identity as the person who bought the bus tickets and is supposed to be on the bus. The lady from the agency explains to him that she would call one of the bus drivers directly to confirm that passenger 'Jeon Wonwoo' is missing and she would get back to him on that same phone number.

Wonwoo gets an _okay_ from the stranger whose phone he borrowed. He insists to stay around and be with him until the problem is resolved and in this entire mess that he has managed to get himself into, Wonwoo begins to feel a warmth spread inside of his chest at the stranger's kindness towards him. It's definitely not how most people would react to his situation and it's definitely not a treatment Wonwoo was used to given that he doesn't really have much experience with strangers in the first place.

"Thank you so much," he tells the man. "I'm sorry for holding you up for so long, I'm sure you're also on your way somewhere..."

"It's okay," the stranger says with a blinding smile that Wonwoo thinks is unexpectedly big and teethy. "I'm not in a hurry, besides, I wouldn't have the heart to just take off after you told me you were already left behind and are kind of stranded here. It's not that big a deal to lend you my phone for a few minutes."

"You're very kind."

The stranger gives Wonwoo a smile and then points to the convenience store right behind him, "I'm gonna go get a drink and some snacks, do you want anything?"

"Uh, no wallet, remember?" Wonwoo says embarrassed to have to point out his current state of misery again.

"It's on me," the other man smiles.

"No, thanks, I couldn't," Wonwoo waves him off. "You've been nice enough."

He lifts the cell phone he's still holding in his hands to express his gratitude even further and the stranger just laughs before he disappears inside of the store. It only then hits Wonwoo that he literally left him behind with his cell phone as if they hadn't just met literally minutes ago. He can't help but find it rather strange of the other man to trust him with his valuables and offer to buy him something as well. It's too nice, something doesn't feel quite right. Then again, perhaps that is just Wonwoo's own agenda. After all, he's not much of a people person and just because he doesn't trust anyone, doesn't automatically make the tall, handsome stranger weird.

When he comes back, he has a whole bag of snacks, two big bottles of water and two hot beverages that Wonwoo assumes are coffee with him. He puts everything down on the floor in front of Wonwoo who just looks at the stranger until he also sits down in front of him and puts one of the hot drinks and a bottle of water right in front of Wonwoo's folded legs.

"You must be completely dehydrated," he says. "Drink... oh, and that's a chamomile tea, it should help with your upset stomach."

Wonwoo is speechless at first. He knows he should perhaps thank him but he can't quite believe that somebody can be this nice to him. And that without expecting anything back because there is literally nothing Wonwoo could give him in his current state.

Just as he wants to open his mouth and thank the guy for a third or fourth time, the stranger continues talking, "How old are you?"

"Uh, 22," Wonwoo simply states unable to collect his thoughts.

"Oh, me too," the stranger says with excitement. "What a coincidence... also born in 1996?"

Wonwoo nods while he opens the bottle of water to take a couple of big sips. The stranger was right, he is indeed dehydrated.

"Jun, by the way," the man adds and Wonwoo finds it a little odd but decides to go with it.

"July," he says.

"What?" The other man furrows his eyebrows with a grin.

"What?" Wonwoo echoes. "You said June."

"Yes," the other laughs. "That's my name."

"Oh," Wonwoo can feel his cheeks heat up. "I thought you were telling me your birth month or something... because you asked about my age... and... I'm sorry..."

The stranger giggles at him, "No, it's my name or well, a nickname of my name... and you write it without the -e at the end. Just J-U-N."

"Got it," Wonwoo says and feels the embarrassment grow by the minute.

Jun seems to pick up on it, "Fun fact though, I am actually born in June... so, it works either way."

The other man can't help but laugh at that. It doesn't really make sense but it's a little frightening how quickly Jun has made him feel comfortable around himself. It's not like Wonwoo to talk this easily to a new person and definitely not when he's on his own but without even trying too hard, Jun has made it very easy for Wonwoo to not feel the anxiety that talking to strangers usually brings up in him.

Of course, it's still a little weird and he's not quite able to relax or open up - not that he wants to - but he doesn't feel awkward sitting here with this stranger, eating snacks, drinking tea and keeping up with the small-talk.

Just when he wants to tell Jun his own name, the cell phone in his hands rings and he can see that it's the number from the bus agency calling. He picks up the phone and the same lady he talked to before tells him that she was able to confirm that passenger Jeon Wonwoo was indeed missing and that he should get in direct contact with the bus drivers. She gives him three phone numbers of the three drivers who are currently on the bus which Jun writes down as Wonwoo recites them.

"Ugh, looks like I'll have to make another phone call," he says apologetically after he hangs up again.

"Whatever it takes," Jun says chewing on some gummy candy.

"Thank you," Wonwoo breathes out once again before he dials the first number that the bus agency lady gave through.

After a couple of rings, a man picks up on the other end of the line and Wonwoo explains to him who he is and what happened. Even though the bus driver apologises for leaving him behind, Wonwoo can hear a little bit of accusation in the man's voice. He can tell that he blames Wonwoo for being left behind and that he's somewhat irritated about the fact that Wonwoo can't tell him where exactly he is right now. It makes his voice instantly become small and low.

When he meets Jun's eyes, the other man is frowning at him and gesturing to give him the phone, "Sir, I'll hand the phone to a man I met here at the pit stop, I think he can tell you exactly where we are right now."

He hands the cell phone to his owner who instantly gets up and starts pacing around while telling the driver exactly where they are. Wonwoo can hear Jun call them irresponsible and he feels an unfamiliar sensation in his gut region at the other man standing up for him. It feels nice, much more comfortable than the uneasiness of car sickness that he had felt in his stomach all the way until he drank the chamomile tea just a couple of minutes ago.

Jun stays on the phone for quite a while, all the while pacing in front of the convenience store which makes it quite difficult for Wonwoo to follow the entire conversation. He can tell that they are trying to arrange something and for whatever reason, he feels comfortable handing that task over to the man he just met about an hour ago. He can't explain why he trusts him to figure it all out but he does.

"Alright," Jun exclaims once he hangs up the phone and walks back to where Wonwoo is still seated on the floor. "They will stop at the _Atlantis Motel_ to spend the night there before they continue in the morning, that's where they will be waiting for you. I made sure they keep your stuff safe until then... so, problem solved."

"Uh," Wonwoo starts intelligently. "Thanks, but uh... I'm still stranded here. I have no clue where that motel is... or how to get there..."

"Oh, sorry," Jun says with a giggle. "I'll drive you there, of course."

"No, I can't," Wonwoo hears himself say without even fully understanding why he can't. Most people would probably be worried that a stranger is a serial killer or some other sort of threat to one's personal safety but that doesn't even cross Wonwoo's mind. It's the thought of being stuck with a stranger in a space as small as a car that frightens him to his bones.

What are they going to talk about? What if it gets uncomfortable? What if he gets sick again in Jun's car? He can feel the panic rise inside of him at the thought of sitting next to the other man in his car and not having anything to say to him. He knows it's irrational but that's what he worries about.

"You really have nothing to worry," Jun reassures him. "I won't do anything to you, I just really want to help."

"But you've already done so much for me," Wonwoo lets out quickly. "You don't even know me."

Jun lets out a small but sickeningly sweet laugh, "You know what I do know?"

Wonwoo just looks at him with curiosity.

"I know if I just get up here and drive off without knowing what happened to you," Jun continues. "I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it, so if you want to repay me all that stuff I apparently did for you - which is nothing really - you will let me take you to that motel and make sure you get there safely. Okay, July?"

Wonwoo breaks out in laughter, "It's Wonwoo... and when you put it that way, I can't really say no, can I?"

"No, you can't," Jun says and presses his lips together seemingly quite satisfied with himself. "It's a pretty name, by the way. I've never heard it before."

"Thank you," Wonwoo says unable to look the other man in the eyes. He doesn't get complimented often and definitely not by someone as handsome as Jun. He doesn't know how far away that motel is from where they are right now but he's already nervous about spending the next couple of hours sitting next to Jun in a car. This is definitely not what he expected would happen when he set out to visit his aunt.

"Alright," Jun says while shoving all the unfinished snacks back into the grocery bag. "Shall we?"

"Uh, yes," Wonwoo gets up for the first time since he sat down in the spot in front of the convenience store about two hours earlier. "Let's go."


	2. two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here comes chapter two! 
> 
> the second chapter of anything I write, historically sucks... but i hope not too much :))  
> anyway, all the city places and university names (coming) are fictional, just FYI!  
> hope you enjoy reading!

"So, where are you actually headed?" Jun asks as he pulls his car out of the parking lot. It's a silver Audi A4 limousine and for some reason, the vehicle seems so much more grown-up than his owner to Wonwoo but then again, he doesn't really know Jun. It only makes his curiosity about the overly generous stranger grow more and more.

"Mabourgh," Wonwoo simply states. "My aunt lives there."

"Oh, that's lovely," Jun says without taking his eyes off the road. "Are you visiting her?"

"Something like that," Wonwoo mumbles.

"Care to elaborate?" The other man says quickly looking at Wonwoo before he directs his eyes on the road again.

Wonwoo sighs.

"You don't have to," Jun says with a small chuckle. "I'm just a curious fellow."

"No, it's alright," Wonwoo retorts a little slowly. "I kinda wanna ask my aunt if I can live with her for a while."

"Oh?" Jun glances at him again with big eyes. "Trouble at home?"

"Trouble in uni," Wonwoo simply states.

"Uh-oh," the other man lets out a small giggle. "What have you done?"

"Nothing," Wonwoo says sounding more defensive than he intended. "It's just... I hate it."

"Okay," Jun drags the word a little signalling that he's not quite following what the other man is saying and how could he? Wonwoo has barely shared anything at all and he's not that sure he wants to share much more but for whatever reason, he continues to talk.

"I just hate my studies and I can't tell my parents just yet," Wonwoo explains. "My father is way too invested in it... he wouldn't understand."

"I see," Jun nods. "What's your major?"

"Economics."

"And you fell out of love with economics while studying?"

Wonwoo scoffs, "No... I have never been in love with economics to begin with..."

"Why did you choose to study it then?"

"It was kinda drilled into me that that's gonna be what I was going to do," Wonwoo sighs.

"By your parents?"

"Mainly my dad."

Jun nods and presses his lips together as if to say that he understands, "So, what does Wonwoo want to do?"

"Huh?" Wonwoo lets out dumbfounded. He didn't really expect this question. Nobody has ever asked him this question and it just hits him that he hasn't really asked himself what he actually wanted to do either.

All this time, he's been obsessing over the things that he knows he doesn't want to do that he never actually wondered what he would do if he had the choice. He never felt like he had an agenda of his own but then again, running away from university and his hometown to hide at his aunt's until he figures out how to tell his parents seems like his own choice. Admittedly, not a great choice but a necessary one in Wonwoo's opinion.

"Do you want to study something else? Or quit altogether?" Jun further inquires when Wonwoo doesn't answer anymore.

"I don't know," he says and wants to kick himself for not having a better answer.

"Let's take your dad out of the equation for a minute there," Jun probes. "If anything was possible, what would you do?"

"I guess, I would like to change my major," Wonwoo admits.

"To what?"

"Literature... maybe."

Jun chuckles and Wonwoo can only guess it's because he sounds so unsure, "And what would you like to achieve by studying literature... maybe?"

"It's just what I'm interested in," he explains shortly.

"You like to read?"

"Yeah, read... and write," Wonwoo says the last word in a much lower tone. Not because he doesn't mean it but because he's never told anyone that he likes to write. He's never even told anyone that he writes at all.

He thinks it's weird that he's somewhat doing something for more or less the entirety of his life and it takes some random dude who found him at a rest stop for him to admit it out loud for the first time.

"Oh, now we're getting there," Jun says with obvious excitement in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Wonwoo inquires feeling slightly confused.

"Do you want to be a writer?"

"I don't know," Wonwoo feels like he's repeated this sentence one too many times that day but it's the truth. He just doesn't know. He's never actually considered writing as a potential career path for him. What kind of writing would he even do? Suddenly, all these questions come up in his mind, he almost forgets that he's not alone in the car.

"I think you do know," Jun's voice snaps him out of his thoughts. "If I'm not mistaken, I think I just saw a little something spark up in your face when I asked you if you wanted to be a writer..."

"You're not even looking at me," Wonwoo deadpans with a scoff.

"I have to look at the road," Jun answers and then grins. "Trust me, I would much rather be looking at you... But anyway, I have a great peripheral vision, I saw the spark."

"Umm, okay," the other man lets out as he feels his cheeks heat up. He looks away and out of the side-window in order not to let Jun's peripheral vision catch the embarrassing blush forming on Wonwoo's face.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Do you want to be a writer," Jun repeats.

"Maybe," Wonwoo slowly says and tries to give it some thought. "I mean, it's not something I ever seriously considered for a career path."

"Why not?"

"Are you kidding? It's not exactly a safe choice for a career..."

Jun shrugs, "Nothing is ever safe. And quite frankly, safety is overrated in my opinion."

Wonwoo looks at him perplexed and quite unable to figure out why he feels himself become more and more intrigued by the things that Jun says or the things he manages to make Wonwoo say out loud.

"What are _you_ doing?" He inquires with curiosity.

"I'm a student too," Jun answers. "And I will be an actor."

Wonwoo snorts, "You mean, you _want_ to be an actor."

"Same thing."

"Not really," Wonwoo looks at the other in disbelief. "It's the same as wanting to be a writer, you won't necessarily make it."

"I don't see why not," Jun simply retorts. "I'm studying film-acting and directing. I work hard, I have the talent and - if I may say so myself - the looks for it..." He grins at the man next to him. "I go to auditions, I've already landed a couple of commercials and small roles. I will be an actor because that's what I want to be."

"But what if it doesn't work out?" Wonwoo follows up more intrigued by the minute.

"Weird how nobody says these things to med students who tell you they want to be doctors," Jun throws in.

"Well, that's different," Wonwoo argues.

"I don't see how."

Wonwoo doesn't know how to explain it. On one hand, it's so obvious how it's different that he doesn't really think that there is any explanation needed. On the other hand, he suddenly feels a little unsure about it himself.

Whether it's Jun's confidence or the way he lays out his arguments, Wonwoo can't help but feel that the other man is making some good points. He can also tell that even if it was just blind naivety, Wonwoo is not going to change Jun's mind on this and he doesn't want to.

The bits he's starting to experience about Jun's worldview feel refreshing. As much as he is far away from being as confident and optimistic as the man sitting next to him, he already feels uplifted and hopeful, for lack of a better word.

Wonwoo can't really point his finger on what it is about the things that Jun just said to him but he's starting to feel much less anxious about his situation than he felt when he boarded the bus earlier that morning to run away from his problems.

"Look, I'm just saying that if you really want something and you're ready to do whatever it takes to get to it, you will most likely succeed," Jun continues when Wonwoo doesn't say anything for a while. "A med student wanting to become a doctor is not safer in his career choice than I am."

"So, you don't have any doubt that you will succeed?"

"I have some bad days like everyone else, I'm just human," the other man admits with a shrug that Wonwoo would describe as cute. "But I don't have much doubt, no. What would life be without a dream to follow?"

"But what if you never get there?"

"I will."

"But what if you don't."

"I won't give up, Wonwoo," Jun glances at him with a warm smile. "And neither should you."

"The way I see it, a life spent chasing after my dreams is not a life wasted. I'm not lazy, you know. I will work on the side if I have to and do whatever is necessary to live a decent life but I will never give up on following what I really want to do, no matter how hard it might get. People are different, _thank god_ ," Jun chuckles. "For someone else, becoming an accountant or something and having a safe, decent monthly income is what they want and they'd be satisfied to have their weekends off to spend them in whatever way they want and some holidays here and there and they'd be happy. I respect that. I applaud them for it. But that's not me, I want what I want and I know I wouldn't be happy if I don't follow it... and honestly, I don't know you that well, but I think you're a little like that too. You're just scared."

Wonwoo doesn't answer right away and Jun doesn't say anything for a while either. A comfortable silence sets in between them, a much-needed silence for Wonwoo to contemplate on what the other man just said. He can sense that there is truth in it but he doesn't know which parts make sense for him just yet.

"I don't know if writing is my dream," Wonwoo says more to himself than to Jun after a while.

"How much do you write?"

"I don't know, here and there..."

"Once a week?"

"Definitely more," Wonwoo shoots right away. "Sometimes I write every day... sometimes I have weeks where I can't write a word. It fluctuates."

"So, you write even when you don't have to?"

"I barely ever have to," he explains. "Actually, I don't like writing papers and stuff for my economics classes."

"What do you write then?"

"Fictional stories," Wonwoo says excitedly enjoying the way Jun seems to be genuinely interested. "I like crime novels."

"Ooh, sounds intriguing," the other man exclaims. "Do you have any finished works?"

"A couple of short stories, yeah," Wonwoo admits. "I'm working on something a little longer these days... It's about- wait, do you even want to hear it?"

Jun smiles widely, "I would love to hear more about it but even more than that, I would like to buy it in a book store and read it one day."

"Again, I don't know you that well, Wonwoo. Heck, I don't really know you at all," Jun laughs. "But can you do me a favour and just play with the idea of writing as a serious career path for you? I'm getting a strong feeling that it might actually be your dream... just consider it, okay?"

"Okay," Wonwoo says with a smile on his face that he doesn't even understand where it came from.

"So, let me just quickly get back to the beginning if you don't mind," Jun throws in right away. "Why exactly are you running off to your aunt's?"

Wonwoo sighs, "I just don't know how to tell my dad that I don't want to do economics anymore..."

Wonwoo stops there. He feels like he wants to open up more and talk about the things that bother him but he remembers that he only just met Jun. He doesn't want to annoy him or bore him with his sap story. Especially not when Jun himself seems so confident and positive.

"And...?" Jun urges him when Wonwoo doesn't say anything for a while.

"Uh," the other man starts. "I guess, I just don't want to be a disappointment. I don't want them to think that I'm just wasting my time."

"Wonwoo, you're 22," Jun says with a chuckle. "You could literally not do anything for the next 10 years and you would still be super young, employable and not even too old to go back to uni. I mean, you can change your major... you'd still be doing something useful. You could be writing during that time but it seems to me that studying economics is already something you figured is not the right match for you, doesn't that automatically make it a waste of your time?"

"You're right," Wonwoo says perplexed at the very obvious conclusion that Jun just made that he himself - for whatever reason - couldn't see at all.

Jun _is_ right. He doesn't like what he's doing right now and he doesn't want to be a banker or accountant or any of the stuff his father had cut out for him as desirable career paths. Even though he had been working towards it this whole time, he kind of knew that he never actually planned on going that route. He just didn't know how to escape it.

But here he was in a car with a stranger, running away from his problems that Jun has somehow made sound so small and irrelevant and simple in just a little more than an hour of knowing him. Wonwoo feels a little dumb almost but he doesn't feel judged.

"I know," Jun says with another delicious laugh. Wonwoo has grown fond of the other man's wide smiles and teethy laughs. He can't help but look at him whenever Jun shows any amusement on his face, it's very entertaining to look at his features. It's a little mesmerising too.

"I can't be the first person to have told you that, though," he adds.

"You are," Wonwoo answers truthfully. "But to be honest, I don't really talk to many people in general, let alone on a deeper level like this."

"What about your friends?"

Wonwoo snorts, "You mean 'friend'. Singular."

"Ah, come on," Jun shouts. "I'm sure you have more than one friend."

"I have two childhood friends that I barely ever see anymore," Wonwoo explains. "Obviously, I know more people but I would say Soonyoung is my only _friend_ -friend."

"Alright then," Jun gives in. "And this Soonyoung, why do you not talk to him then? Do you think he would judge you or...?"

"No, he wouldn't," Wonwoo says looking down at his hands folded in his lap. "I just have a hard time opening up..."

"Really," Jun states sarcastically.

It's definitely not like Wonwoo to open up as fast as he did with him but how would Jun know? For all he knows, Wonwoo would seem like someone who unfolds rather quickly because all they've been doing ever since they met mere hours ago is talk about Wonwoo and his numerous challenges.

"Really," Wonwoo repeats with determination. "Like, take Mingyu, for example... I've seen him several times now and all combined, I don't think I've talked to him as much as I just did in the past hour."

"Mingyu?" Jun asks him with raised eyebrows. "Boyfriend?"

"No," Wonwoo shoots him down immediately then clears his throat. "No, definitely not."

"Okay then," Jun says knowingly grinning at the road in front of him.

"I mean," Wonwoo starts unsure why he feels the need to elaborate on his relationship with Mingyu at all. "We do... _that stuff_ \- uh, but we don't really see each other otherwise. Anyway, we don't really talk much beyond small-talk and whatever dialogue there is to exchange... uh, in bed."

Jun giggles at the other's elaboration, "You're so cute, Wonwoo."

"What?"

"You can talk about sex and stuff, it's not that big a deal," Jun says and Wonwoo really wonders where he gets all that confidence from and if they are selling the stuff in bulk because, God knows, Wonwoo could use some of that too.

"I just never talk much about anything," he eventually finishes.

Jun shrugs, "You seem like a good conversationalist to me. You don't seem like you have any problems talking to me."

"I don't," Wonwoo blurts out. "And I'm more surprised than anyone, trust me."

Jun chuckles, "Well, I'm not surprised at all. I mean, if you hadn't told me that you lack communication skills in your personal life, I wouldn't have known at all."

"Uh, thanks," Wonwoo says. "I don't know why but it's easy with you."

"I'll take that as a compliment of sorts," Jun says with a wink and Wonwoo catches his heart skip a beat at the sight of it. This man clearly knows how to flirt and Wonwoo is glad that driving a car forces Jun to look straight ahead and not directly at him. Otherwise, he doesn't know how he would handle it or if he would be able to bring out any words at all.

"So, is it that you don't want to get closer to this Mingyu guy or you don't know how?" Jun suddenly inquires.

"Umm, I guess a little bit of both," Wonwoo answers truthfully and wonders what this guy does to make him open up this easily. "I don't really see it going anywhere... I mean, we're very different... and not in a way that attracts each other."

"But you clearly do attract each other," Jun muses.

"Well, he's very attractive," Wonwoo says and laughs awkwardly.

"I see," Jun retorts with a nod and laughs with him. "You have that side to you as well."

"Ah, shut up," Wonwoo says playfully and both of them break out in laughter even more.

Even though he would never want to admit it, the main reason Wonwoo kept seeing Mingyu is that he thought that he was the hottest guy on earth - and quite frankly, it was a great ego-pusher that Mingyu wanted him at all - but looking at Jun's side profile as he drives the car and absentmindedly nods to the distant beats of the music on the radio, Wonwoo is not so sure about that anymore.


	3. three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are picking up, woop woop!
> 
> thanks for reading so far and for the encouraging comments too, i really appreciate it :))

Wonwoo didn't know how long it would take to get to the motel when he agreed to let Jun drive him there. Now that they have been on the road for several hours and it's starting to get dark outside, he starts to feel guilty about accepting the other man's help.

"I'm really sorry about all of this," he starts after they have been silently listening to the radio for quite a while.

He can tell that Jun is startled, "Huh? About what?"

"You driving me to the bus," Wonwoo explains. "It's been hours... I really didn't know how long it would take, I wouldn't have agreed otherwise-"

"Ah, don't worry," Jun interrupts him. "It's actually on my way. With or without you here, I would have to drive past that motel."

Jun gives him a small smile and Wonwoo wonders if he's not just saying that to make him feel better about it all.

"Really?" He inquires. "Where are you actually going?"

"Andmore," Jun replies. "Do you know it? It's actually not that far away from Mabourgh, so we're headed in the same direction anyway."

"Yeah, I know it," Wonwoo says excitedly remembering how his parents used to take him to the beach in Andmore whenever they would visit his aunt. "I went to the beach there when I was a kid."

"It's nice, isn't it?" Jun adds with a bigger smile now.

"Very," Wonwoo agrees. "Do you live there?"

"I used to," Jun explains. "I live in Hawking now because my uni is there, I'm on my way to my parents' house right now."

"What? Really?" Wonwoo exclaims a little louder than he intended before he clears his throats and speaks again, "I live in Hawking too, I go to HTC."

"No way," the other man shoots back. "What a coincidence? I go to HUA."

"That fancy arts school?"

"Is it fancy?" Jun chuckles.

"I mean, it's hard to get in, isn't it? There's like tests and auditions and everything," Wonwoo elaborates. "You must be really good."

Jun shrugs, "It had the best film and directing courses, so I wanted to apply... and yeah, it was a process but hey, a small price to pay for a big dream."

Wonwoo doesn't intend to stare but he can't help it. He can't avert his eyes from the other man even if he tried to. The more he talks to Jun, the more impressed he is by how he lives his life. It's weird to admire someone he only just met but everything Jun says and what he did for him that day is admirable. He catches himself feel grateful for being left behind by his bus earlier that day and wonders if it means anything.

"What?" Jun suddenly says with a giggle when he realises that Wonwoo is still staring at him.

The other can feel his cheeks heat up as he quickly looks away and out of the front window, "Nothing."

"Okay then," Jun laughs. "Anyway, you see I have quite the long ride in front of me too, so don't feel bad about it. You've made my car drive much more enjoyable than if I had been all alone."

"Yeah, right," Wonwoo scoffs.

"I mean it," Jun insists. "I mean, I didn't know what kind of person you would be when I picked you up but I'm honestly relieved you turned out to be this interesting and fun."

"I've never been accused of being fun before," the other man says with furrowed eyebrows.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Wonwoo. You're pretty cool," Jun quickly glances at him before he puts on one of his blinding smiles again. "And who knows? Maybe I just met a future best-selling author, how amazing would that be for me?"

Wonwoo doesn't know what to say, so he just silently smiles to himself.

"You're pretty cool too," he eventually lets out and elicits another delicious laugh from Jun.

"Well, thank you," the other one says cutely. "We should be at the motel in about an hour if I'm not mistaken by the way."

"Oh?"

Wonwoo notices the small drop he feels in his gut region at the thought of Jun and him going separate ways pretty soon. Even though they've been together in this car for hours, it feels like it's coming to an abrupt end. He doesn't even know what exactly is ending there but Wonwoo feels like he's just at the last pages of a really great book that he isn't quite ready to put away just yet.

"I think I'll stay there for the night too, it's getting pretty late," Jun says sounding more like he's just voicing a thought process.

"Oh, but then you have to let me invite you for a drink or something," Wonwoo exclaims. "As a _thank you_ , you know."

"That's sweet of you," Jun says. "But it's really not necessary, I'm glad I could help."

"I insist," Wonwoo urges.

Jun lets out a small chuckle, "Okay, okay. I think I can do one drink. But just that one, I gotta drive in the morning again."

"Got it."

"Thank you."

"No, thank _you_ ," Wonwoo says sincerely. "I would've been completely lost without you. Literally."

Jun just waves him off with a hand gesture and another sweet smile and Wonwoo's sadness over the fact that they will inevitably have to separate very soon grows by the minute.

When they arrive at the motel, Wonwoo heads to the reception to ask about the bus and where he would be able to contact the drivers. They find one of them in the small restaurant at the first floor of the motel and after several thorough apologies and excuses, he informs Wonwoo that they have organised shared rooms for all the passengers - all-inclusive in the price of his bus ticket. He hands Wonwoo a key to his dormitory room that he would be sharing with seven other male passengers.

He doesn't know if it's the visible panic in his face or something else that makes Jun offer to share a room between the two of them instead.

"It- it's okay," Wonwoo stutters still trying to picture himself in a room full of strangers who will probably inquire him about the fact that he got lost at some point during the trip and how he would have to explain what happened. "I will... I will be fine."

"Wonwoo, you literally turned about as pale as you were when I found you this morning when the guy told you you would be sharing a room with other passengers," Jun argues. "Come on, I have to stay here anyway, you will be doing me a favour by splitting the cost for a room."

Wonwoo just looks at him as he contemplates his options. Of course, he would much prefer to share a room with Jun whom he has grown familiar with over the past couple of hours instead of some random dudes he probably didn't even see properly when he boarded the bus earlier in the day. However, he can't help but feel like a burden to the man who already helped him out so much that day. Now he should also disturb his much-needed rest? Wonwoo just doesn't want to bother Jun longer than necessary, he's been too kind to him so far already.

"Hey, I'm clean, I don't snore and I promise I won't do anything to you," Jun elaborates when Wonwoo doesn't answer.

Suddenly a mischievous grin forms on his face, "Unless you _want_ me to, of course."

Wonwoo knows it's a joke. Or he's pretty sure it's a joke and yet, it makes his heart rate speed up almost ridiculously. He doesn't know what it is in the other man that makes him act and feel like an embarrassing teenager all couple of minutes.

"Be honest, would you rather go up there to a room with seven people you don't know or one where it's just me?" Jun eventually adds while Wonwoo blankly stares at him.

"I'd rather be with you if I'm honest," he admits.

"Then it's settled," Jun smiles. "I'll go get us a room and check us in, you go get your stuff from the bus, okay?"

"Can I pay for the room though?" Wonwoo calls after Jun when the latter makes his way to the reception again.

"You can pay for half of it," he says. "And you still owe me that drink."

Wonwoo laughs and nods in agreement. Somewhere on his little walk to the bus to get his stuff and back, he decides that Jun must be some kind of angel who was sent to him today. There's no reasonable explanation for why someone would be _this_ nice, _this_ wise and _this_ good-looking at the same time. It just didn't make sense.

He finds Jun waiting for him at the reception when he comes back and is only slightly alarmed at the fact that his heart skips a beat when the other man smiles at the sight of him.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," Wonwoo says breathily. "I need a shower."

"Oh god, me too," Jun exclaims with widened eyes. "Let's go."

Wonwoo showers first and lays down on his bed afterwards. It's a twin-bedroom and he's grateful for the fact that he has one less thing to panic about for the day. He was quite worried that they would have to share a bed and he really didn't want to even start and try to understand why the thought of that made him as nervous as it did.

When Jun finishes his shower as well, they make their way down to the restaurant to grab dinner and the drink that Wonwoo promised the other man.

He can't believe how comfortable he already feels being with Jun and just casually chatting over dinner. It's definitely not like him at all and he decides to blame it on the circumstances.

Jun tells him all about his acting work and his studies. He tells him about some of his friends and how his parents guilt-tripped him into visiting them over spring break. Apparently, he hasn't seen them since Christmas and his mother kept bringing up the fact that he has 10 days off of university in spring almost every day until he agreed to drive down and stay with them for a week.

He tells Wonwoo he wanted to drive there himself because he barely gets a chance to drive at all back in Hawking given that he lives on the campus of his university and there's not much opportunity to go anywhere between classes, auditions and homework.

While Jun slowly sips his one big beer, Wonwoo is already on his third glass of wine and it's the only good explanation for where he gets the courage to ask Jun if he's single because he knows otherwise, he would never dare to do that - even though he's been curious about it ever since they talked about his own non-existent love life.

"Yep, always been," Jun says in between sips. "Probably always will be."

Wonwoo feels himself frown at that, "What do you mean by that?"

Jun chuckles and inspects the other man for a little bit before he answers, "I mean, I've dated. Naturally, I've been with people in many ways. I'm just... not much of a feelings guy it appears."

"Because you're focusing on other things?"

"That too," Jun explains slowly. "But I'm just genuinely not sure if I even _can_ have those kinds of feelings, you know..."

Wonwoo just stares at him blankly until Jun continues.

"It's like... whenever I meet someone I can tell that they are way much more into me than I am into them. I kind of always feel like I'm pretending. And quite frankly, I can't even imagine what it could possibly feel like to fall in love, you know?"

It takes Wonwoo a couple of minutes to process what Jun just told him. He doesn't even want to begin to sort out why the other's statement bothers him on the inside. He can guess, vaguely, but he doesn't want to be sure of it.

"Interesting," he hears himself say.

Jun takes another sip from his beer, "Maybe it's not for everyone."

"Maybe not," Wonwoo lets out quietly finishing his third glass of wine too.

When it's time to make their way back to their room, Wonwoo can feel that he is quite thoroughly intoxicated. He didn't even realise how much the wine affected him while he was seated at the table but now that they got up and started walking towards the stairs, he can tell he's not quite stable on his feet.

It's probably the only reason Jun holds his hand as they walk up the stairs. It's probably also the reason he lets Wonwoo push his body into his side way too intimately for someone he only met that day but then again, he's seen people at parties getting much more intimate with each other in much less of time after they had just met. It's not weird. At least that's what Wonwoo tells himself and Jun surely doesn't complain.

When they reach their room, Jun starts to fish for the key while Wonwoo leans his back on the door happy to have something other than Jun hold him up for a minute there.

"Alright, big guy," Jun says when he finds the key and proceeds to unlock the door. "You gotta move away from there quickly or you'll fall."

He snakes his arm around Wonwoo's waist and pulls him into himself. Wonwoo's hands land on the other's chest and their faces are suddenly so close together that Wonwoo starts to wonder if Jun's eyes have grown in the past two hours that they've been down at the restaurant.

He knows they were big when he met him that morning but they seem so much bigger right now. So much prettier too. All of him suddenly seems so much more irresistible and Wonwoo's eyes settle on the heart-shaped pair of lips right in front of him.

When Jun pushes the door open, he makes Wonwoo snap out of his trance and stumble backwards into the room. He manages to catch him just before he trips and leads him to his bed where Wonwoo drops down right away just after knocking his shoes off his feet.

He can hear Jun giggle somewhere in the room, "What time do you need to get up?"

"The bus leaves at 10 AM," Wonwoo mumbles.

"Ah that's good," Jun retorts. "You'll be able to get some sleep."

They don't say anything for a while after that. Wonwoo takes off his pants and slips under his covers wearing nothing but boxers and the shirt he had on for dinner. Jun changes into his pyjamas and seems quite unbothered to do it right in front of Wonwoo who doesn't even try to look away.

He's too drunk for that he tells himself. His senses are all in overdrive. He wouldn't be like this otherwise, he insists in his head. His head that is currently only filled with thoughts of Jun and how it might feel to have him pressed against himself.

The thoughts won't leave him even after they turn off the lights and go to bed and he hears his sore voice pierce through the silence of the room, "Jun."

"Hm?"

"Earlier you said..."

"What?"

"You said you wouldn't do anything to me..."

He hears Jun chuckle.

"Unless I wanted you to."

"Wonwoo, you can relax," Jun says quietly. "I'm pretty harmless."

"But," Wonwoo starts then gulps audibly. "What if I wanted you to?"

The silence that follows after he says that seems to only speed up Wonwoo's already alarmingly quick heartbeat. He doesn't know where he found the courage to say that. He knows he meant it. Every fibre of his being meant it. There was nothing he wanted to do more than touch Jun at that moment but even then, he probably wouldn't have said it in a sober state.

Jun doesn't say anything. Instead, Wonwoo hears him get up from his bed and shuffle over to where Wonwoo is laying sideways on his own.

Jun's hand pulls on his bedsheets and Wonwoo lets him lift them up and lie down next to him. He doesn't have the time to process anything when Jun's face appears in front of him in a distance even visible in the darkness of the room.

He doesn't try to calm his heart rate when both of Jun's arms wrap around his middle and pull him into the body that he desired to touch so badly. He lets his own hands find places to hold onto as well. One on Jun's arm, the other on his chest.

It feels entirely too much and frankly, it takes too long for Jun's face to come dangerously close to his. For a good half a minute, he just hovers over Wonwoo's mouth and breathes him in like he wants to evaluate his decisions. Like he's not quite sure if he should kiss him like that.

And Wonwoo knows it's because of what he told him at dinner. He doesn't know how much he thinks about it himself but he's not looking for Jun to develop feelings for him or anything. For all he knows, he's just physically attracted to him as well. There's not much more than that. There doesn't have to be more than that. They are two grown-up men, it can just be casual. Right?

And it seems like Jun comes to the same conclusion when he finally leans in a little more and Wonwoo feels plush press against his lips. It's soft, incredibly soft and sultry and sensual he couldn't even begin to explain. He's never been kissed like this before and good god has he been missing out.

Jun seems like quite the expert at this and Wonwoo happily lets him lead the way. He feels like he's about to melt in the other's arms. Yet, he can't get enough. He wants more of it. More of Jun. More of his kisses. Just more. And then even more than that.

He doesn't know how long they kiss but it doesn't seem enough when Jun eventually pulls away then follows with a peck to the tip of Wonwoo's nose.

"You should sleep," he says and Wonwoo would like to answer. He would like to protest but he's way out of breath. Way too fuzzy in his head to form words, he just lets himself drift away in Jun's arms. Happy and content, and so incredibly relaxed.


	4. four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to update on wonhui day but i had to work all day and i was just way too tired :((
> 
> anyway, a day later is still okay... here we go, chapter 4!

He can't help but glance at Jun's sleeping figure with every item he puts in his backpack trying to keep it as quiet as possible. He tells himself that he doesn't want to wake Jun because the other man must be exhausted. After all, he had been driving all day yesterday and it got pretty late last evening too.

The events of the night before flash before Wonwoo's eyes again. Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to kiss Jun? Does he not have any self-control left?

What if things are awkward now? What if the other man wakes up and is visibly uncomfortable with Wonwoo being in the same room as him? That's not how Wonwoo wanted to say goodbye to Jun. Not after everything he's done for him. Not after how he was starting to feel about him.

For whatever reason - even though he dreaded it - he didn't really think through how he would say goodbye to Jun. He didn't really let himself imagine this part throughout the short amount of time of knowing him.

Sure, he could pretend he doesn't remember much of last night but that would be a lie and that's the last thing he wants to do: lie to Jun. He should really pull it together and keep it casual. After all, that's what it was. Just a casual make-out session between two guys who happen to be attracted to each other. Nothing more. Nothing less. It doesn't have to be weird.

But Wonwoo is nervous. He felt nervous the second he woke up with one of Jun's arms still around him. He got frightened by how comfortable he felt, alarmed by how much he wanted to just stay like that and wait until the other man woke up. But with every slow, relaxed breath of Jun's next to his ear, the nervousness grew until he jumped out of bed careful not to make any sound.

He got ready for the day and started packing immediately. Of course, he will come back to say goodbye before his bus leaves but he's way too anxious to have more time to talk to Jun beyond that. He doesn't want things to end on bad terms just because he had to have a glass of wine or four and couldn't stop thinking about doing inappropriate things with the guy who literally saved him that day.

Wonwoo is almost done packing when he hears Jun stir in his bed and he freezes, eyes widened.

"What time is it?" Jun's sleepy voice shatters the silence Wonwoo had carefully nurtured for a good half an hour before that.

"Uh, shortly after 8," Wonwoo quickly says trying to make his voice sound as unbothered as possible. "You should go back to sleep."

"And have you secretly walk out on me like that?" Jun's tone is accusing.

"I wasn't gonna walk out on you," Wonwoo chuckles nervously. "I just wanted to grab something for breakfast and thought I'd pack first... I would've come to say goodbye before I left, I'm just kinda traumatised to miss the bus again."

"I'll have breakfast with you," the other man says and kicks the blanket off of himself. "Just give me a second to change."

"Are you sure?" Wonwoo says half worried, half glad that he would have one last meal with Jun. "It's so early..."

"I'll take a nap later," Jun says a little grumpily from the bathroom. "You're not walking out on me, Wonwoo."

"I wasn't going to," Wonwoo repeats a little irritated. "I would've come to say goodbye."

Jun doesn't say anything and Wonwoo hears the sounds of him brushing his teeth. Then water splashing. Body movements. The toilet seat is lifted. Flushing. Water splashing again and then a half-naked Jun in the door frame.

He puts on a white shirt and some slippers and calls, "Let's go."

Full plates of goods from the breakfast buffet in hand, they sit down at a small table for two in a corner of the guest dining area.

Jun cracks open a small bottle of orange juice and shoots Wonwoo a glance as he pours it into his glass, "Can't believe you would've just walked out on me like that."

Wonwoo exhales audibly irritated, "For the hundredth time, I was not going to do that. I was gonna say goodbye."

He _was_. He really was.

"Pfft," the other man lets out. "How is that not walking away from me?"

"What?"

"You were gonna take the bus," Jun exclaims.

"Well... yeah," Wonwoo says dumbfounded. "That was the plan."

"Whose plan?"

"Ours," Wonwoo's confusion grows by the minute. "Wait, am I missing something? Did we agree on something else last night?"

Jun squints at him and doesn't say anything for what feels like an eternity. He just chews his food and looks intensely at Wonwoo until the other can't take it any longer.

"Jun," he says. "Please..."

"I'm not letting you get on that bus," the other man says firmly.

It almost sounds provocative and before Wonwoo can even process what to say, he hears himself go, "What if I prefer the bus?"

Jun scoffs, "Do you?"

"Well, no," Wonwoo answers truthfully in a low tone. "But you can't just go around and forbid me things."

"That's not how I meant it," Jun furrows his eyebrows. "I wanted to say that you shouldn't have to suffer on that bus... not if I can help it."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Jun swallows a big bite he was chewing on for some time. "Let's be real, you'd probably get sick a dozen more times before you even reach your aunt's house. You don't seem to have that problem in my car."

"No," Wonwoo explains. "I've never had it in a car..."

"There you go," Jun seems quite content with himself when he smiles at him and takes a big bite of sweet bread.

"But I can't just let you drive me all the way to Mabourgh," Wonwoo argues. _It's too much_. It's _way_ too much, _way_ too far away. Jun can't possibly be ready to do him a favour that big.

"Do you have a driver's license?" Jun asks casually.

"Yeah?"

"Awesome, there you go," he clasps his hands. "We can switch it up then, it would make things easier for me too."

Wonwoo blinks a couple of times before he speaks again, "But yesterday you asked me what time my bus leaves..."

"Well yeah, I wanted to know... look, I was gonna ask you if you wanted to come with me anyway, I just wasn't sure if you would like it," Jun explains. "But then, last night, you made it clear that you don't necessarily _hate_ me... so..."

He grins at the last part and Wonwoo is somewhat relieved to hear Jun touch upon the topic. He was almost afraid he hallucinated the kiss from how normal and casual they were with each other. Maybe it doesn't have to be weird at all. Maybe it works for them.

"Sorry about that," he says a little shyly, nevertheless.

"Oh, don't apologise," Jun chuckles. "I was the one who kissed you... remember?"

"But I asked you for it," Wonwoo argues.

"I think you asked for a little more than just a kiss," the other man laughs sheepishly. "But I couldn't..."

"Why?" Wonwoo blurts out and gets embarrassed immediately. He didn't want to sound _that_ desperate. Does he not have himself under control at all when it comes to Jun?

Jun laughs out heartily, "Wonwoo, I might be a horny slut sometimes but I'm not an asshole... you were _so_ drunk."

"Well, I meant it..." Wonwoo says barely above a whisper.

"Good to know."

"I still do," he adds and feels his whole face heat up all the way to the tips of his ears.

It makes Jun giggle, "I'll keep that in mind. So, you're coming with me?"

"Are you sure you want me there?"

"Wonwoo," Jun starts and reaches for Wonwoo's hand across the table. "I have fun with you, I would hate for us to just part ways here like that when it's absolutely not necessary."

Wonwoo smiles at him shyly and lets him play with his hand a little while Jun continues, "Besides... if I'm not mistaken, that angry mob of old homophobic people staring at us at that table over there... aren't they on your bus too?"

Wonwoo turns around to look at the table in question and he does indeed find four elderly people staring at them and whispering to each other with what seems to be disgust plastered across their face.

"If you try and deny me the pleasure of driving you to your aunt's, I swear to God I will lean over this table and kiss you right in front of them and then you decide if you want to get on that same bus," Jun finishes.

"Alright, alright, I'll come with you," Wonwoo eventually agrees after laughing for a good minute or two.

"Finally," the other says with what would be best described as excited exhaustion. "Now I can eat in peace."

"You've been eating this whole time," Wonwoo calls over a chuckle.

"Yes, but now I can do it with a peaceful heart."

"I can't believe you," he adds laughter still pulling at his voice.

"I know, I'm incredible," Jun wiggles his eyebrows at him and they continue to chat and eat and laugh as if they've known each other for years and haven't just met the day before under very questionable circumstances.

After they finish their breakfast, Wonwoo searches the motel to find one of the bus drivers to let them know that he won't be joining them on the rest of their journey. He reassures the driver that he wouldn't leave a bad review for the agency and that he accepts that it was his own fault. Nevertheless, the agency insists on him getting a full refund on his bus ticket because apparently it had never happened before that a passenger was left behind in the middle of nowhere and they do not want to have to deal with any legal consequences.

Wonwoo really didn't even consider writing a review for the bus agency at all, let alone take legal action against them but he accepts his refund and walks back to where Jun waits for him at the entrance to the motel.

"Guess what?" He says excitedly when he comes into hearing distance to the other man.

"Hm?" Jun looks up at him from where he is seated on a satin couch near the reception.

"Next time we have to stop for gas, I'm paying," Wonwoo grins. "They gave me a full refund."

"Oooh nice, see I knew it would pay off to take you with me."

Wonwoo gently slaps the other's arm just before Jun takes his hand and lifts it up to his lips. He leaves the smallest, softest of kisses on Wonwoo's knuckles until he probably realises how embarrassingly red the other gets in his face which elicits a delicious giggle from Jun's perfect lips.

He lifts up his head and pulls Wonwoo with him towards the stairs, "Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the room," Jun informs him. "We don't have to check ou before 11 AM, so I'm taking that nap I told you I would."

"Oh, alright. I can also wait down here and, I don't know... maybe read something, I don't want to disturb-"

He stops talking altogether when Jun turns around to look at him and roll his eyes, "You're napping with me, silly."

"But I'm not tired," he says dumbfounded.

Suddenly, the cutest of pouts forms on Jun's mouth, "But I slept so well cuddled up to you last night."

Wonwoo giggles almost embarrassingly high-toned, especially in consideration of his usually low voice, "Alright, I'll try."

"You can sit there and read, I don't care," Jun adds. "As long as I can cuddle up to you."

"What are you so cute for all of a sudden?" Wonwoo asks genuinely intrigued by the surprisingly unexpected change in behaviour on Jun's end.

"I get like that sometimes," the other simply waves him off. "You'll get used to it."

"I don't think I will."

He doesn't end up reading, of course. Instead, they lie down facing each other and Wonwoo grins incredibly wide while Jun murmurs undecipherable things into the room. He's probably telling some sort of story or anecdote, Wonwoo wouldn't know and he doesn't want to ask him to repeat the words he doesn't understand because it's endearing and because Jun seems so tired and so breathtakingly beautiful with his eyes half-closed smiling at the other man.

He has his arms around Wonwoo just as he said he would and every now and then he leaves a peck on his lips, soft and filled with slumber. Every time, he just stays closer and closer to Wonwoo's face until the sleep finally pulls at him completely and he drifts away.

Wonwoo thinks it's ironic how just a couple of hours ago, he could barely stop himself from imagining all the not-so-conservative things he wanted to do to Jun but now he's perfectly content and happy to just lay there next to him knowing that they will have at least the rest of the day to still spend together.

He tries not to be alarmed at the constantly increasing speed of his heart rate when he looks at Jun sleeping in his arms. He tries not to think it through too much. What great thing has thinking ever done for him? Nothing. He thought himself into anxiety a thousand times. Now he just wants to let go and relax.

_It's gonna be fine,_ he tells himself. _Nothing bad has to happen here._


	5. five.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading this far, this one's slightly longer :) i hope you enjoy!

They barely manage to check-out on time and get on the road planning on, hopefully, being at Wonwoo's aunt's place before midnight. It's a long trip. The bus was scheduled to arrive at the Mabourgh bus station at 10 PM but they left more than an hour before Jun and Wonwoo did. The car, however, has proven to be a much faster way of transport so they might reach their destination around the same time.

"Uh-oh," Jun lets out about an hour into their ride. "Looks like we'll have to stop for gas already."

"That's alright," Wonwoo says and looks at the road signs. "There's a gas station coming up in about 800 meters."

When they stop at the gas station, Jun's phone buzzes for what must be the seventh time in about half an hour.

"I should get that," he says and stays seated in the car. "It's my friend... he wouldn't be calling this much if it weren't urgent."

"Sure, go ahead," Wonwoo says before he gets out of the car. "I'll make sure I fill the tank, I wanted to pay for it anyway."

"You don't have to, Wonwoo."

"But I want to... it's the least I can do," Wownoo reassures him.

"Thank you," Jun says with a sweet smile before he picks up the phone with a gentle. "Hello?"

While Wonwoo gets out of the car and makes his way to the gas tank side of it, Jun opens the door on his side but doesn't get out. He stays in his seat and takes his phone call and Wonwoo can't help but hear all of it.

"What's up?" Jun says into his mobile phone and then a long pause ensues in which Wonwoo assumes the person on the other end is telling a story of some sort.

"Ah, come on," Jun calls out. "You know that's not true..."

_Silence._

"Hao, you're literally the best dancer in our whole fucking school... you know what happened last time you performed for me?"

_Silence._

"Exactly, I cried like a fucking baby."

_Silence._

"No, I don't care about that... it's just your perfectionism."

_Silence._

"But babe, that's not a good thing... you know what I always say, perfectionism is just a fancy word for procrastination. It's not useful. It's not a secretly positive personality trait. It's just fear playing dress-up."

Wonwoo fixates his eyes on the gas tube in his hand and tries not to look up or make his wonder too visible on his face. He definitely just heard Jun call that person _babe_ and well, it might not mean anything but chances are it does and for whatever reason it makes him start to feel stupid.

But it's not even what bothers him the most because they only knew each other for a day and a half. Certainly, there was no reason for Jun to disclose any potential lovers or dates or whatever he had at home. He could have. That would've been nice but Wonwoo didn't ask. He only asked if Jun was single and just assumed that an affirmative answer meant there is nobody in any romantic capacity waiting for Jun in Hawking.

No, that is not what bothers him the most. What bothers Wonwoo is that Jun seems to be the same positive, wise, warm and encouraging with whoever it is on the other line. It shouldn't come as such a shock to Wonwoo and he doesn't have a right to feel bothered by that.

But Wonwoo was different with Jun. Wonwoo _is_ different with Jun. He can tell him things about himself he has never shared with anyone. He can tell him what he wants from him without feeling judged or ashamed.

The fact that he told Jun that he wanted more than just a kiss at breakfast was a huge breakthrough for him. It might not have been apparent to the other man but Wonwoo knew. Wonwoo knows that he's changing with every minute he spends with him and he's changing in a good way.

He's daring with Jun. He is closer to going for what he wants from life than he has ever been before and it's all thanks to this stranger he met a day ago. He didn't have the time to process how and how quickly it happened but now that Jun is talking to someone on the phone and he's talking in the same way that he talks to Wonwoo too, he knows that Jun is special to him. But maybe Wonwoo is not that special to Jun.

He snaps out of it when the gas machine beeps to signal that the tank is full now, Jun looks up at him and smiles, still on the phone.

"Okay, Hao, I gotta go," he says urgently. "I'll call you when I get to my parents' house... yes, I'll tell them... okay... and remember you're doing just fine. Send me the tape and I'll give you my two cents, okay? Alright, bye-bye."

"Do you- do you want something?" Wonwoo stutters and points at the small gas station store. "Drink or snack or...?"

"Snacks are always good," Jun replies and gets up from the driver's seat before he closes the door and locks the car.

"Let's go together... hey, and thanks for the gas!"

"Don't worry about it."

They get some snacks and drinks and, most importantly, coffee before they return to the car and Jun suggests Wonwoo drives for a bit which the other one is quite happy about.

Being the driver, it gives him an excuse to face the road and not nervously roam his glance around wondering if Jun has someone at home and what not.

"Is everything okay?" Jun asks a couple of minutes into the drive. "You didn't say a word since we left the gas station..."

"Everything is fine," he answers with a breathy laugh. "Uh... I guess... that on the phone... was that your boyfriend or something?"

"Good God, no," Jun calls out then laughs. "I told you I was single. I wouldn't make out with you if I had a boyfriend, what kind of person do you think I am?"

"Well, see, I don't really know you," Wonwoo answers truthfully and on the inside, he kicks himself for how accusing he sounds.

"I'm not a cheater, that's for sure," the other man answers still a little laughter hanging on his words. "I might not be the relationship type but if I did commit to anyone - for whatever reason - I wouldn't cheat on them... like, that's just low. That's just below my standard, I want to hope."

"Okay then," Wonwoo says a little relieved but also not because all Jun has done in the past few seconds is reaffirm his stance on relationships and that stance is that he doesn't do them.

Besides, just because he's not dating the guy from the phone call doesn't mean that there wasn't at some point some kind of a romantic relationship between them because that call sounded awfully familiar. Jun called him _babe_ and it sounded way more intimate than any conversation Wonwoo has ever had with Soonyoung or other people he knew. Hell, way more intimate than how he talks to Mingyu and he literally slept with the guy.

"You don't seem convinced," Jun states matter-of-factly sounding a little questioning.

"No, I believe you," Wonwoo assures him. "You just seemed very... intimate, that's all."

"Well, we are..." Jun blurts out then looks up and sideways in thought. "Kind of... I mean, sometimes he feels like a little brother to me. Like someone I need to take care of... he's so talented you wouldn't believe it but he gets so awfully insecure."

"You seem to like to take care of people," Wonwoo purses his lips.

"I do it when I can, it's not necessarily a hobby of mine," Jun looks at him and even though Wonwoo does his best to focus his own view on the road, he can tell that the other man's eyebrows are furrowed in curiosity or perhaps confusion.

"It's not the same with you, though," Jun says after a while probably being able to feel the room. "I was happy to help you when you were stranded but other than that, you don't need my help."

Wonwoo quickly glances at him with a frown, "Well, I did need to hear some of the things you told me yesterday."

"I guess," Jun shrugs. "But you will find your way with our without me. I can feel it from you... you have a very strong sense of purpose oozing out of you every time I look at you. It's almost a little frustrating that you can't see it yourself."

Wonwoo doesn't quite know how to respond to that. He doesn't see it. That much Jun has gotten right. That much he also believes to be true and if he doesn't see it, it's probably because it's not there.

"Hey, now that you're driving and I can just sit here and relax," Jun says after a while when Wonwoo doesn't respond to him. "How about I read some of your writing?"

"What?" Wonwoo blurts out. "No!"

"Why not?"

"I don't have anything."

"Sure, you do," Jun argues. "You told me you have a couple of things and you're writing a whole-ass crime novel right now... come on."

"No," Wonwoo defends. "I can't... it's not good. It's not finished yet."

"Ah, come on, Wonwoo, it's just me," Jun urges. "I'm don't expect Hemingway, you know... Besides, I'm super-objective and might even have some pointers and feedback for you on how to improve if you want..."

Wonwoo shoots him a quick glance before he looks back at the road. He sees a sign for a small rest stop coming up in a couple of hundred meters, "Fine, let me just pull over here... I'll find you a short story on my laptop."

"Yaaay," he hears Jun call out and he can imagine the huge smile plastered across the others face. He can't help but look at him quickly, it's as if he's addicted to the other man's smiles at this point and who could blame him?

When he pulls over, Wonwoo turns around to reach for his laptop that he had previously just thrown on the back seat. While he fidgets for it, he feels Jun plant a soft kiss on his cheek and it makes him look up startled just to melt a little bit at the gentle smile on the other man's face.

"Thanks for letting me read it," Jun says with a sweet voice that seems so different from how he usually talks and Wonwoo gets a little distracted by it until Jun reminds him to get back on track.

"Alright," Wonwoo says somewhat quieter after he had just roamed through his writing documents to find a short story he wrote about two years ago. "I guess you can read this short story... it's one of my personal favourites."

He slides the laptop over to Jun who takes it with excitement plastered all across his face, "Awesome, thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet," Wonwoo says as he starts the car and pulls out of the rest stop parking lot again. "You might just hate it..."

"Oh stop it," Jun retorts in annoyance and Wonwoo watches him focus his view on the laptop in his lap which immediately makes Wonwoo anxiously nervous.

About an hour later, Jun is still reading and Wonwoo is still jittery.

"So, are you almost done?" He asks for about the third time since Jun started reading unable to tell anything from the glances he can throw at the other's face when he's not looking straight ahead at the road in front of him.

"If you ask me that one more time, I'm gonna throw you out of the car," Jun doesn't look up from the laptop when he answers with audible irritation in his voice.

"But I'm driving," Wonwoo scoffs.

"Yeah," the other man lets out an exasperated breath. "That wouldn't be very smart of me, would it?"

Wonwoo laughs at that but he promises not to bother Jun anymore until he finishes reading even though it's killing him to know what the other thinks.

Another twenty or so minutes later, Jun looks up, closes the laptop and calls, "Wow."

"Wow?"

"Yes, wow."

"Oh, you finished?" Wonwoo throws in once he realises that Jun is staring at him now.

"This is good," Jun says with strong determination in his voice. " _Really_ good."

"Really?" Wonwoo inquires genuinely curious.

"Are you kidding?" Jun counters. "You have a beautiful mind, Wonwoo. I've always admired people like you who can create something out of nothing... like, you literally have nothing and you sit down and type on your laptop and suddenly, there is this wonderful living thing," he points both his hands at the laptop on his lap. "A whole world that can touch people and inspire them and go way beyond that in some cases."

"Ugh, I don't know about that," Wonwoo lets out utterly dumbfounded.

"You're actual magic, Wonwoo," the other continues with a voice just as firm as when he started and all the praise starts to get to Wonwoo. He doesn't know why it bothers him but he feels an almost physical discomfort form inside of him with every new celebratory word uttered by Jun.

"People like you are so important," Jun continues. "I just wish you could see that. I just wish you could-"

"No, Jun, please stop," Wonwoo tries to interrupt him.

"I mean it, you don't know how amazing you are. If you take anything out of meeting me, it should be that... that you are so important, so-"

"Please..." Wonwoo tries again.

"Endlessly wonderful- wait, why do you look like you're about to cry?"

"I'm not," he says trying to sound confident but even he can hear his voice hitch. "You're just making me uncomfortable."

A short silence ensues and Wonwoo can tell that Jun is just looking at him, blinking, probably trying his best to understand. But there is nothing to understand. Wonwoo doesn't understand either. All he knows is that he can't hear any more praise like that, not right now.

"I'm sorry," Jun eventually says. "I didn't want to make you feel that way."

And Wonwoo feels bad. Maybe it's not fair to Jun. Maybe he just shouldn't have let him read his stuff.

"It's okay," he says and watches Jun avert his eyes and look out of the window.

He turns to look at Wonwoo again after a while. He smacks his mouth open as if to say something but then just closes it again and shifts his gaze to the road again. Wonwoo doesn't know what to make of it. He doesn't know how to break the slightly uncomfortable silence he created between them.

"Take the next exit here," Jun suddenly says.

"What?" Wonwoo is confused. "Why- did I miss a sign? I thought I have to take this highway for another-"

"No, please," Jun interrupts him. "Just take the next exit and then go left at the roundabout afterwards."

"Jun-"

"Please, Wonwoo," he says firmly. "Just trust me."

"Alright," Wonwoo agrees but he's not quite sure where the other is trying to lead them because he knows it's not a shortcut to anything. The highway is the fastest way and there was no traffic or anything, so it just doesn't make sense.

Wonwoo does as he is told, however, and sure enough, after he takes the left turn at the roundabout, the road meanders downhill until they are suddenly driving in the same direction as they were before but much closer to the seaside.

"Wherever it's possible to take a turn and stop, let's stop for a bit," Jun says.

"You want to go to the beach?"

"I think we should," he just simply states. "Do you like the beach?"

"I like the sea," Wonwoo answers accurately.

"That'll do," Jun says with a chuckle.

A little less than half an hour later, they reach a beach spot where there are a handful of cars parked and they can see around five other people swimming or sunbathing near the water. Once they pull over, Jun immediately moves to find his swimming trunks and Wonwoo follows suit not wanting to argue with him, but also because he suddenly feels like being in the water is not the worst idea on a hot day like this.

He wraps a towel around his middle as he leans on the open trunk of the car to change out of his clothes and Jun - who somehow managed to do it really fast without even Wonwoo seeing him undress - heartily laughs at him. His laughter bubbles down once Wonwoo is done and he catches the other man look him up and down. Wonwoo can swear Jun gulps but he doesn't want to imagine too much. Perhaps it's just his own horny agenda.

Either way, they head to the beach and go inside the water to just fool around, swim and splash. Every now and then they would come close to each other, put their arms around one another. Share a kiss here and there. The longer they stay in the water, the less they're swimming or playing and the more they start to cling onto each other until Wonwoo gets really cold and they decide to get out again.

They lay out towels on the beach and lie down next to each other to soak up the sun and dry. Wonwoo tells a couple of stories about his aunt because Jun wants to know why he decided to go to live with her out of all people.

He was always close to his aunt. He even lived with her for two years before he started school when his parents were too busy travelling for work and didn't want to make him travel with them all the time. He loved staying with his aunt. He loved Mabourgh and he loved the more liberal way she lived her life. She was always supportive and warm and the first person he ever came out to actually.

It was a no-brainer for him to go to her when he realised that it's all getting too much and he needed a break.

All the while Wonwoo talks about his aunt, Jun lies sideways next to him propped up on one elbow and smiles sweetly while drawing invisible circles on the other's chest and abdomen.

"That's so nice," he says when Wonwoo comes to an end. "I'm glad you have someone like her in your life."

"Me too."

"Wonwoo," Jun starts a little probing as if he's not quite sure if he should say what he wants to say. "Please, don't get uncomfortable again but... have you ever shown your aunt your writing?"

"No," Wonwoo shakes his head. "I haven't shown anyone."

"Anyone?"

"Well," he quickly ponders. "That's not entirely true. Around two years ago, I published a short story I was really happy about on one of those online writing platforms but apart from that, I have never let anyone read anything I wrote. Definitely not anyone I know in real life."

"Did you get any feedback on the platform?"

"Sure, it got quite popular and I got a lot of nice comments, so I think it did okay."

"How did those comments make you feel?"

Wonwoo ponders for a bit, "It was nice, I guess but it's not like it meant anything. I've read a couple of other stories on there and they weren't all that good and they still had tons of positive comments, so I figured people are just incredibly nice there. The writing style didn't seem to matter much as long as the plot was engaging, so you know..."

"I see," Jun says with a nod and lets his hand rest on Wonwoo's chest who puts one of his own hands on top of it. "I think there's a reason your story got popular on that site and it's not because people are nice."

"Jun, don't-"

"No, I mean it," Jun urges. "Listen, I think if I had critiqued you earlier and started pointing out mistakes or areas where you could improve, you wouldn't have been as uncomfortable as you were." Wonwoo doesn't say anything. He can feel his eyebrows furrow in thought as he tries to comprehend what Jun is trying to tell him.

"You know most people can't take criticism," Jun continues. "They don't want to hear where they are wrong or how they can improve, but you're not like that. You want to hear that you're not good enough because that's what you believe."

Wonwoo feels his heart speed up. It's as if Jun just hit him where he's most vulnerable with one small, precise blow and he feels himself unfold right in front of him. He doesn't have the power to argue. He doesn't have the words to contradict a truth he'd never realised before.

"And actually, I don't think you believe that really... but it helps you to stay in your little comfort zone. It helps you not to do anything about your gift. Because that's exactly what it is. Sure, there are things you could improve and I am more than happy to talk to you about them but when I read your story earlier, I could tell that you have a gift. The way you are able to describe complex characters and emotions, it's not something you can learn and I'm going way too much into detail... my point is that I think you never let anyone read your stuff because you're actually afraid of being as good as you probably can tell you are. Because if you are that good, if you can't deny it any longer, if you stop telling yourself that it's not enough, you wouldn't have an excuse not to do anything about it. And maybe it has to do with your father and all that stuff I still need to grasp properly but someone with your talent would be doing the world a great disservice if they didn't at least try and share their gift."

Wonwoo looks up at him blankly as he lets all of Jun's words sink in. He blinks a couple of times and goes over what he just heard. He doesn't have to think about it much if he's honest. It's true. It's obvious. Even to him. The way he's absolutely terrified to let anyone read his writing. The way he just got so uncomfortable with Jun complimenting him earlier in the car.

It makes sense but what does he make of it now? How does this man he just met yesterday turn his entire worldview upside down every couple of hours?

For whatever reason, it makes him feel relaxed. Almost as if he's found an answer. To what, he doesn't know yet but he can tell that he just had a mindset shift of colossal impact. And suddenly, all he sees is the somewhat concerned look on Jun's face as he hovers above him and probably still waits for Wonwoo to say something but he won't. He has nothing to say.

And even though, there are no words to put it in, he knows he wants to communicate his gratitude. Only that it's more than gratitude, it's a profound understanding that he couldn't put in spoken words even if he tried.

So he snakes an arm around Jun's middle and pulls him in. He puts a hand on the side of his face and gently strokes his cheekbone with a thumb. He can tell that he understands. It seems like Jun always understands even when Wonwoo doesn't. Especially when Wonwoo doesn't and it makes his insides feel warm all over.

His heartbeat speeds up as it always does when Jun's face comes closer to his and they kiss again. Slowly but more intensely than ever. There's even a shift in the way they kiss as if something between them just snapped into place.

And soon it all turns a little messy. Lips and tongues intertwined and moans escaping both of them. Jun's entire body pressed onto Wonwoo's and an abundance of everything except oxygen.

Wonwoo's head is positively spinning when Jun pulls away ever so slightly. They are still close. So close. He can feel Jun's every breath on his face and he seems to need to take quite a few of them until he can speak.

"You know," Jun starts in a voice much deeper than it was before and Wonwoo wants to believe that he made it get that way. "We've been here for about two hours now..."

"Yeah?"

"So, if we hit the road right away and power through... both of us," Jun explains. "We could be at your aunt's just a little after midnight."

Wonwoo nods. He can tell that Jun is not quite finished yet.

"That's, of course, if there's no traffic at all," the other man adds. "So, we could just do that... _or_ -"

"I like _'or'_ ," Wonwoo blurts out in a serious tone.

Jun chuckles, "You don't even know what _'or'_ is..."

"Let's go with _'or'_ ," Wonwoo says firmly. "I wanna do _'or'_..."

" _'Or'_ it is then," Jun concludes with a breathy laugh before he leans in again and makes sure to kiss him senseless one more time.


	6. six.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is a little steamy but nothing explicit - I thin Mature is the right rating.
> 
> enjoy ;)

Wonwoo doesn't know where he finds the strength to let go of Jun and drag himself to the car. He receives sweet, melodic, teethy laughter in response to his protests but Jun promises that they would stop somewhere to spend another night and then proceed in the morning.

Sure, they could power through but if he's honest, Wonwoo is in no rush to get to his aunt's house but he seems to feel quite the rush to get into Jun's pants. And it was Jun's idea. He proposed that they either power through or get a room somewhere later when the night falls and take it slow. But to Wonwoo the night can't fall fast enough.

Back in the car, Jun drives and holds his hand - except for when he has to change gears - and he sends many gentle smiles Wonwoo's way. He doesn't know how to feel about it. He knows he does feel something but how appropriate is it? How possible?

Wonwoo doesn't want to ponder his own feelings or Jun's potential emotional disarray. For once, he lets himself enjoy the moment. The fact that they are together. The fact that they seem to be on the same page. The fact that they have another night to spend with each other. One that Wonwoo will make sure not to mess up with drunkenness and other shenanigans.

Once the clock passes 8 PM, they both start to keep their eyes open for signs to a motel or any place that would have casual travellers. After passing a couple of places that just don't look safe or clean or - frankly, normal enough, they see a sign to a Bed & Breakfast just a couple of hundred meters off the highway. It sounds promising and it looks decent on the roadside advertisement. Surely, a Bed & Breakfast would be a little cosier and nicer than a crappy highway motel.

When they arrive there, they realise that all the rooms are arranged in separate little houses and they feel quite lucky that the prices are not completely off the charts because usually, a place like this isn't cheap. Perhaps it's the somewhat nowhere location that it's situated at but they get their own little one-bedroom house for a price that they both deem affordable when split by two.

They are greeted by a middle-aged woman who seems to be entirely overjoyed to welcome any guests at all since there appears to be little to no foot-traffic and thus, almost no other guests apart from Wonwoo and Jun that evening. They can see an elderly couple in the dining area which they can look into from the reception desk but other than that it's just them and the staff.

It's a welcoming change of pace from the overly tiring chain of events that Wonwoo had to go through the day before. He's happy to get away from the buzz of the highway too. Out of the car and into a comfortable bed with Jun, that's all he needs right now. And soon enough that's what he gets.

They both take quick showers once they are settled in their little bedroom and Wonwoo feels the heat shoot through his entire body when Jun gets out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel around his hips. Hair wet and dripping. Skin so obviously soft and reddened by the warmth of the water. His face is so pretty even now and Wonwoo thinks it's not quite fair for anyone to look like that freshly out of the shower.

Wonwoo himself probably looks like a freaking canal rat in comparison. Thankfully, there are no mirrors in the bedroom because he doesn't want to find out what kind of look he's sporting with his glasses on his face and his boxers and oversized shirt combo. For fuck's sake, he even put on socks. What did he do that for?

Nevertheless, Jun smiles at him and literally jumps onto the bed to lay next to him. His skin feels so warm and soft against Wonwoo's touch and he can't get enough of it. He starts by a soft stroke of his fingers on Jun's nose bridge. Then his cheekbone. Then his jaw. He lets his hands roam around Jun's body. From his shoulders, down to his arms and wrists and hands. He switches to his abdomen and strokes his way up to his chest until he reaches the side of his neck again. Jun doesn't protest. His eyes follow Wonwoo's hands and they make eye contact once Wonwoo comes to a close on his safari of the other's body.

They start to kiss slowly, languidly. Just the way they did at the beach and it doesn't take long for things to get heated again. After all, that's what they're here for if they're both honest.

"Are you sure?" Jun whispers a little breathlessly when he breaks the kiss for the first time. He looks at Wonwoo so seriously that it's adorable. The fact that he even asks when Wonwoo is so obviously hot and bothered and ready for him.

Wonwoo snorts, "Try and stop me."

He lifts his head to plant a couple more kisses on the lips hovering above him and it makes Jun laugh before he answers, "I won't."

And it doesn't take long after that for Jun to be completely naked on top of Wonwoo who is still wearing his boxers. And the socks. _The bloody, unsexy socks._

Afterwards, it's all heat and breath and moans and Wonwoo knew sex was good but he never knew sex could be _this_ good. He never wants to stop. Not even after he comes. Twice. Three times. He doesn't know how many hours pass but it's probably way past midnight when they finally manage to stop kissing each other or trying to make the other hard again.

It's crazy how aroused he gets from the smallest things that Jun does to him. As if he was a teenager experiencing all of it for the first time, just wanting to do it again and again. But for a moment there they stop. They lay down next to each other. Heavy breathing. Wonwoo's eyes open wide staring at the ceiling that he can't really make out the details of without his glasses and Jun's eyes closed and forehead wrinkled as if coming down from a sprint - or more like a half-marathon.

Wonwoo turns to look at him and Jun heaves out a, "No!"

"What?"

"No way," he says.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're looking at me."

"And?"

"I can't do another round, Wonwoo," Jun looks at him dead serious. "I have to take a break or I will die."

Wonwoo chuckles.

"I will die Wonwoo," Jun repeats firmly. "I'm not fit like you."

"Oh shut up, you did well," Wonwoo laughs. "Actually you did great... this was just- _damn_."

"Damn," Jun repeats. "Yeah, that kinda sums it up pretty well."

They both chuckle and Wonwoo reaches messily for the other's hand. Fingers intertwined they just lie there for a while coming down from Wonwoo's best sex of his life so far. He doesn't even want to start to retrace all the events of the past 36 hours or so. He has no idea how they brought him here but he's grateful. He's happy.

A couple of moments later when his breath calms a little, Wonwoo turns to his side and reaches over Jun to get his glasses from the nightstand. He can tell that Jun's eyes follow his every move so he leans on top of the other's chest to look at him.

"You know," Jun starts. "You're quite the mystery box."

Wonwoo can't help but chuckle again, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I look at you with those glasses and you're hot but like a nerdy, I-want-to-corrupt him kinda hot but then I take off your shirt and _bam!_ Rock hard abs and I am here like what the actual fuck? So, this sexy nerd works out? Please corrupt _me_ , sir!"

Wonwoo breaks out into a laughing fit and rolls of off Jun to lie on his back but Jun doesn't let go of his hand as he continues, "And that tongue... the things you do with that tongue. I mean... Honestly, it was so good, I don't think you should ever do it for free again. Charge for it, it's that good, Wonwoo!"

"I can't believe you," Wonwoo manages to say in between laughter. "Yesterday you wanted me to become a writer and now you want me to prostitute myself?"

Jun looks at him with played seriousness, "Sir, you have many talents!"

"Oh my god," Wonwoo exclaims as another wave of laughter threatens to overcome him.

"Honestly, I feel like I have to thank you for the sex," Jun goes on. "I don't know what I did to deserve it."

"Ah come on," Wonwoo turns around to look at him. He puts a hand on the side of Jun's neck and lets his thumb slide up his beautiful jawline. "You're so pretty and soft... you're like a little kitten. But then those hips... it's as if I was in a freaking archery tournament and every single thrust was a bullseye. I swear at some point all I could see was white light and I thought that's it, I got fucked into heaven... what a way to go. I wouldn't have minded if I'm perfectly honest."

Jun giggles while Wonwoo talks but then he follows, "You know, I didn't do anything differently than usual... but for some reason, it just felt much better today. Maybe it's the road... or the beach... I don't know but everything just felt incredibly more intense."

"Same," Wonwoo just lets out because that's exactly how he felt. They didn't do anything out of the ordinary but for whatever reason, it just felt better than any sex he's ever had. He thought it's because Jun is just good at it but apparently, the other feels just the same.

"What's your family name?"

"Jeon, why?" Wonwoo asks slightly confused.

"Well, Jeon Wonwoo," Jun says sounding serious and unnecessarily formal. "I think we're just incredibly sexually compatible."

And Wonwoo can't help but laugh again. It's the way Jun says things, he can tell he's a great actor. He would certainly be a great comedian. Wonwoo hasn't laughed as much as he does with him in a very long time. Sure, Soonyoung is hilarious but he's also annoying more often than not. Jun's humour is clever. It's playful and on point. It's exactly what Wonwoo likes and he thinks that he has yet to find something he doesn't like about the other man because things are starting to get alarmingly intimate and he can already feel himself growing attached to someone who will drop him off at his aunt's the next day and then drive off without him. This time for real.

He tries not to think about it for now, so he turns around again and props his chin up on Jun's chest. The other immediately starts to stroke hairs out of Wonwoo's face. There is a warmth in his eyes. His smile gentle as always and Wonwoo knows he needs to avert his gaze or at least break the tension between them so he asks, "So, writer or sex worker, what should I do?"

Jun snorts, "Stick to the writing and if it really doesn't work out, you can still sell your tongue services at a later point in life."

"I gotta stick to something," Wonwoo jokes further. "I don't want to seem flakey changing my career paths all couple of years, do I?"

Jun shrugs, "There's nothing flakey about that. I actually think changing your mind shows strength."

"Okay, I just gotta ask," Wonwoo wonders seriously. "What do you mean by that?"

"I just feel like people often judge others for changing their mind about things when it's actually a sign of greatness to be able to say: hey, I thought about this one way but then I learned that it's not that way, so now I think about it this way. Instead, people are so concerned about saving face in front of other's that they will just go on with what's wrong just so that they don't have to tell others that they changed their mind. I think it's strong to try something that you thought you wanted and then find out it's not what you imagined and change your mind about it. Everyone is just so concerned about being right all the time, they don't allow themselves to learn. Like, it's okay to marry... let's say, _Bill_ because you think he is the absolute greatest guy in the whole wide world and then a year into the marriage find out that you were wrong and then get a divorce instead of staying with him just so that nobody would judge you," Jun leans his head to the side a little and looks at Wonwoo intensely.

"And you know," he continues. "I think it's okay to go into uni and start studying something your parents wanted you to do in order to please them but then a year into it realise that making your parents happy with your life choices is just not enough to make you happy and then change your mind and do something else. I think it's strong to want to find happiness for yourself regardless of what anyone expects from you. It's easier to just go the way that would make other people judge you less. Even when it's painful and dark, ironically it's easier to make others happy. It takes strength to go the other way."

Wonwoo ponders and stares at him for a bit. It's certainly not the first time Jun makes him feel this way. Like he knows him better than Wonwoo knows himself. It's not the first time he hits the nail right on the head but this time he took it even further.

"You know," Wonwoo starts. "I was just joking with that sex worker thing... I could never do it, too much socialising."

Jun laughs at that, "I know, I wasn't serious either."

"But then you give me this speech," Wonwoo adds. "And you blow me away again..."

"I just thought it right at that moment and I felt I had to say it," Jun says a little sheepishly and looks away. "It was a little cheesy, no?"

"No, not at all, it was brilliant," the other says. "What will I do without your insights after this trip?"

"Stop it," Jun waves a hand in front of his face.

"Can I keep you?" For whatever reason, it takes all of Wonwoo's courage to make this half-joking remark. And it's probably because he wants to get something out of Jun. He doesn't need much. Maybe just a sign, a small promise... a light at the end of the tunnel that they might still meet after this. That this is not just some crazy adventure between two strangers but hopefully, the start of something.

He doesn't care if acquaintanceship, friendship or more, he just needs to know that Jun won't be a ghost after this. That he will have a way to reach him if he desperately needed him. Not that Wonwoo wants to be desperate like that. He just doesn't want a clean cut. He just doesn't want to lose someone like Jun after he was so lucky to be found by him.

"Just in case of an emergency?" He adds jokingly not wanting to make his despair too visible.

Jun just chuckles and smirks, "We'll see."

He puts a hand on the side of Wonwoo's face and even though it was certainly not the answer Wonwoo was hoping for, he quickly forgets about all of it when Jun pulls him towards himself and kisses him again. It's all it takes to get his senses going again. He wouldn't believe that he could get turned on that quickly - especially after having climaxed several times already - but there he is, twitching for round four and Jun can feel it under the bedsheets.

He can certainly feel him on his leg and he chuckles melodically as he throws his arms around Wonwoo to roll them over so he can hover above him again and let his sinful lips burn marks into any speck of skin of Wonwoo's body they can reach. It's so good, it should be forbidden.

It's just as intense as the first three times and it just doesn't make sense how good it is but what was Wonwoo expecting when everything about Jun seems out of this world? He just lets it happen again and again.

And they spend the night like this. With a little talk and lots of laughter and two bodies just dancing around each other, _with_ each other. Entangled, connected and intensely satisfied in every way.

Neither of them is ready to let go when sleep pulls at their eyelids and their bodies just can't endure any more. They fall asleep arms around each other, naked bodies, the smell of lust in the air and just something else that neither of them seems to acknowledge or even understand.


	7. seven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, this took a day longer than usual because i work so much... i'm sorry :(((
> 
> but only one more chapter to go and i will have a day off to write it, woop!
> 
> thanks for reading so far and i hope you enjoy this too!

Wonwoo wakes up first and has to collect himself for a couple of seconds before he recalls where he is and what is going on. The ceiling is familiar, of course, he's seen a lot of it last night. The scent is familiar too. The overwhelmingly sweet scent of Jun and sex automatically brings a smile to Wonwoo's face. He turns around to the only unfamiliar, yet comforting thing in the room: the quiet and slow sounds of Jun's breathing. It's not something he's used to for sure.

Wonwoo is not used to waking up next to someone. Especially not next to someone so incredibly soft and effortlessly beautiful. He looks at Jun's sleeping figure for a while. He doesn't know how much time passes. He doesn't even know what time it is and frankly, he doesn't want to find out. He almost hopes they oversleep their check-out but they probably won't because Jun set an alarm for 9 AM which is an hour before they have to give up their room, so Wonwoo deducts that it's earlier than that. How much earlier? He wouldn't know.

Only when Jun starts to stir in his sleep, does Wonwoo realise that he's been staring - and smiling - at him this whole time. Jun lets out a small moan as he stretches his limbs almost like a cat. It's not the first time that Jun reminds him of a kitten. He certainly has a lot of feline characteristics about him and the way he almost purrs a little as he turns around to look at Wonwoo only solidifies that.

"Hey," Wonwoo says playfully when Jun's eyes start to open slowly, blinking.

He gets a cute groan and a prolonged _'hmmm'_ in response.

"Still sleepy?" Wonwoo chuckles.

"No," Jun retorts softly then looks to where his phone is on the bedside table. "What time is it?"

"I don't know."

Jun feels for the device on the little table and turns around to look at Wonwoo again, "Shortly after 8..."

"We have time," Wonwoo reaches out and brushes some hairs out of Jun's left eye. "You can sleep some more if you want."

Jun shakes his head with a pout and scoots over closer to Wonwoo. He starts kissing Wonwoo's naked shoulder. Slow, languid, plush kisses wander up Wonwoo's neck to his jaw to the side of his face to the corner of his mouth until they finally reach his lips.

"I don't want to sleep," Jun says in a sultry tone. "Can I have you one more time before we go?"

And again, Wonwoo wonders how it's possible to get aroused as quickly as he does when Jun says things like that. It shouldn't be that easy to get him going. It was never that easy for any guy he slept with before. But Wonwoo is certainly no challenge for Jun. With only a sentence, barely a whisper out of Jun's sinful mouth, Wonwoo is ready for him in seconds.

So they do it again. Of course, they would. The whole night neither of them knew how they could possibly let go of the other after every round. It was too good on both ends and the way Jun's body moves on top of him and starts kissing down Wonwoo's naked torso, he knows this time it would be just as good. Just as incredibly unforgettable. Just as hard to let go once they finally reach the end.

And this time it's more intense. It's not rough or wild or anything like that. Just slow. Painfully slow almost and soft and hot and all of the things that prolong the sensation into an endless, blissful orchestra of moans, heavy breathing and slick, sweaty bodies. Hands intertwined above Wonwoo's head and eyes rolling inwards from pure pleasure.

They take it slow afterwards just laying next to each other playing with the other's hand. They talk a little about nothing important and giggle at things that are probably not funny at all. They are almost delirious. After all, neither of them has had dinner last night and each of them spent an awful lot of energy on the other.

"We should get breakfast at the dining place," Jun says when he hears Wonwoo's stomach growl.

Wonwoo only reluctantly agrees. He knows they should eat and he knows they need to check out soon but there is practically nothing that he would rather do than just lie next to Jun and hold his hand. Nothing else seems even remotely as urgent and important to him.

Nonetheless, they both get showers and start packing up the few belongings they brought over from the car last night. They exchange kisses in between whenever they pass each other in the small one-bedroom house. No matter how much Wonwoo tries to wrap his head around it, it doesn't seem like something that should end today.

Him and Jun, it's not something that seems to be limited by the time it takes to get from the Bed & Breakfast to Wonwoo's aunt's house. It just doesn't feel like it. And yet, where would it go. Should they just exchange numbers? And what then? Is Wonwoo supposed to call him up and talk small?

They did a lot of things with each other but small-talk was not one of them. Thinking about talking to Jun over the phone certainly feels much more nerve-wracking than just talking to Jun the way they just naturally communicated with each other all this time.

"You're doing it again," Jun's voice pulls him out of his agonising thoughts.

"What?"

"You're thinking and making yourself all nervous," Jun says. "Just relax, I'm sure whatever it is that's working your pretty, little head right now, it's probably nowhere near as bad and worth worrying about in reality."

"Stop reading my mind," Wonwoo says when Jun approaches him and puts his arms around Wonwoo's neck.

"I can't read your mind," Jun giggles. "I just read your face."

"I've been told that my face is oddly expressionless," Wonwoo states as he snakes his arms around Jun's middle.

The other man scoffs, "By whom?"

"Many people..."

"Well, they've lied to you," he says with raised eyebrows before he leans in again and starts kissing Wonwoo just the way he always does. Sweet, languid and unbearably good. Wonwoo never wants to stop kissing Jun and it's always cruel, every time they pull apart.

"Alright," Jun says softly as he slowly loosens his embrace and takes Wonwoo's hands into his own. "Shall we go check out and then find something to eat."

"I guess," Wonwoo answers with a whine.

It makes the other chuckle, "You don't seem too enthusiastic about the food."

"Oh, I'm enthusiastic about the food," Wonwoo explains. "It's the checking out part that sucks."

This time Jun laughs out heartily, "It was a great night."

Wonwoo nods and lets himself be pulled into another kiss and then another and then eventually, out of the door and towards the reception. There is a different person at the desk when they check out, a young man who seems much less excited to see any guests around the Bed & Breakfast. He is polite, though, and informs them that breakfast is served until 11 AM so they have enough time to get it before service stops.

They head to the dining area and find a good table near a window that looks out on the terrace of the house. They didn't even realise there was a cute little garden on the other side of the building but then again, they didn't really care to explore anything other than each other's bodies last night.

They get up to grab food from the breakfast buffet, however, Wonwoo comes back with one full plate and Jun comes back with four for himself.

"What?" He calls when Wonwoo laughs at him. "I'm hungry, it's almost as if I was working out all night."

"You were," Wonwoo says looking down on his plate. "Kind of..."

They eat in silence for a couple of minutes after that until Wonwoo remembers something Jun said the day before that he wanted to ask him about for the longest time but he just forgot.

"Hey," he starts. "You said you would have some pointers on how to improve my writing... would you care to tell me?"

"Oh," Jun looks up from his food with his cheeks stuffed. It's cute. It's heartbreakingly adorable to watch him eat and Wonwoo wouldn't want to interrupt it but he just really values Jun's feedback and he wanted to know before he forgot to ask again.

"I mean," he adds. "You don't have to... I would just really like to hear your feedback, that's all."

"No, I don't mind," Jun says and swallows his food. "Let me just think about how to phrase it... I mean, there's nothing wrong with the way you write. You have your own personal style and that's great. You have a great sense for timing, the dialogues just flow and there's a certain kind of realism that is just so wonderful to read. Like, as a reader I can just imagine the way the characters feel so well..."

"Uh, thanks," Wonwoo lets out rather flattered. "I didn't expect that... but what's the stuff I need to work on then?"

"Hmm," Jun folds his hands on the table and looks up a little, clearly thinking about what he's going to say next. "Well, I guess, it's the mean character... the villain of the story if you want..."

"What's wrong with him?" Wonwoo inquires genuinely interested to have the other's take on it.

"There is nothing wrong," he continues. "It's just that you seem to put a lot of effort into explaining why he does what he does... like, you need to find excuses for the way he's acting or not necessarily excuses just his own thought process and how he comes to his conclusions and stuff. I mean, it's nice and the story still works but honestly, I think some of it would leave a greater impression if you left the villain's behaviour a little more open for interpretation..."

Wonwoo looks at him intently. He thinks he understands what Jun is trying to tell him. He agrees to a certain extent but he feels like he would need to reread the story he showed him again just to see to which extent he does elaborate on the villains actions.

"I see," he says deep in thought.

"I mean," Jun adds. "In real life, we also don't always get explanations for the things that happen to us or the way other people behave sometimes... especially if it's something bad. Like, yeah, everyone has their reasons why they act the way they do but if I'm the protagonist of my own story, I don't always get to hear the reasoning or backstory or thought process of the people who are mean to me and that's what makes life so interesting, don't you think? That some people just make you wonder... I think that would help your villain too, to leave the reader more to wonder but also, because some people just enjoy villains for the fact that they are bad and evil and that's a sort of escape too. I feel like you take away from him when you explain him... that's all."

Wonwoo nods. He understands where Jun is coming from. It makes him eager to read his own story again and improve on the character. But he also feels challenged, as much as it's exciting.

"Thank you," he says. "It might be a big challenge but I think I see what you mean and I agree."

Jun smiles widely at him, "I'm glad and I get that it's challenging... I guess, as humans we obsess over this whole fairness game entirely ignoring the fact that life just isn't fair. I mean, nobody was promised a fair life when they entered this world, yet we all want things to be fair somehow and it makes sense. We're all always at the center of our own worlds, right? So, from our point of view, everything is always happening to us... but everyone else feels the exact same way."

"Everyone thinks everything is always happening to them," Wonwoo concludes. "Interesting."

"Yes, and so it's easy to say this one person is being unfair to me because they did something that didn't benefit me when I had their best interest in mind but that's just because we all only ever hear our own reasoning and our own thought process... someone else might do or say something to you that you deem entirely unfair but in their own head, it doesn't feel like that at all because they have a different background story to that. And more ironically, sometimes we go even as far as to do the same thing to other people and not deem it as unfair because we can always find reasons for our own actions, right?"

"Right," Wonwoo nods.

"So yeah, I really think you need to give less reasoning for your bad characters," Jun concludes. "Because it takes away from their function in the story, especially when you write as realistically as you do."

"It makes sense," Wonwoo says dumbfounded at how Jun manages to give him a life lesson in between explaining how he could improve his writing. He is mind blown and he feels like he will need some time to think about what the other man just said because it makes so much sense, it's life-changing.

"You keep impressing me..."

Jun giggles at him, "I'm not trying to impress you."

"Which makes you even more impressive," Wonwoo adds.

"Stop it," Jun says sheepishly looking down at his food and cutting into a slice of french toast. "I just have a lot of thoughts."

"Impressive thoughts!"

"Alright, big guy," he lifts a hand and shakes it in Wonwoo's face. "Eat now, we gotta go get you to your aunt."

"Right," Wonwoo says in a low tone when the realisation settles again that he will have to say goodbye to Jun very soon.

They are not that far away from Mabourgh anymore. It might just take another two hours, three hours tops. Wonwoo knows there won't be another stop. No other excuse to delay their arrival at the destination. No third night or trip to the beach or random make-out session at a rest stop. This is it. Their last leg. The last part of this wonderfully fortunate misfortune that started out with Wonwoo being left behind by his bus.

He doesn't even remember the details of how he felt when that happened. He knows he was worried and scared but those feelings feel so foreign and far away now even though it was only two days ago.

It's crazy to think he'd only known Jun for two days. Admittedly, it doesn't feel like they've known each other for forever because everything is so new with Jun but talking to him has certainly been much easier, even more familiar than with a lot of people whom Wonwoo knew for a much longer time. Besides, Jun has already changed his entire mindset - and probably life - with his little inputs and his pearls of wisdom and his incredible world view in a way that Wonwoo knows has made a lasting impression on him. He already knows what kind of changes he needs and wants to make to get his affairs in order. He knows exactly what he wants to do now even though it scares him and he knows for a fact that if he hadn't met Jun two days ago that's not how he would feel now. He would not have the certainty or the courage to do what he's set his mind to doing from now on.

It's crazy how seemingly bad events can turn into blessings in disguise when we look at them from a distance. With just a little bit of time in between then and now, Wonwoo being abandoned at the rest stop turned into the best thing that happened to him in a very long time.

He's so endlessly grateful for all of it, yet there is one more thing left to agonise about as they take the exit towards Mabourgh on the highway and Wonwoo knows that the last couple of minutes of their little road trip are approaching.

He has to figure out how to stay in touch with Jun. He should just ask him for his number but why does it feel like such an impossible task to be done? He wonders why Jun hasn't asked him already. Surely, the other man doesn't need to talk courage into himself. It makes Wonwoo agonise whether Jun even wants to stay in touch or not because surely, he would've asked if he wanted to. On the other hand, perhaps he just wants to see if Wonwoo has the guts to do it. Maybe he wants to test him and see if Wownoo has learned anything in the last two days.

"And we're here," Jun's voice once again cuts through his thoughts. "It's your aunt's street... which house number was it again?"

"17," Wonwoo says barely audible.

"17... there it is," Jun exclaims enthusiastically. "You have reached your destination."

"Well, I can't thank you enough," Wonwoo says when they stay seated for a little bit in front of Wonwoo's aunt's house.

"Don't worry about it," Jun answers with a smile. "It was my pleasure."

He reaches out to press his hand against Wonwoo's cheek and the other leans into his touch a little bit. It's intimate but it already seems like they are so far away from each other and it's almost unbearable to accept given that they couldn't have been any closer less than 12 hours ago. Heck, less than five hours ago even.

"Let me help you with your stuff," Jun suddenly says and gets out of the car. It feels a little weird for Wonwoo that he is literally about to drop him off and they haven't exchanged any means to stay in touch. It can't just end like this, right? It makes no sense to connect on the level they did and then not at least consider seeing each other again in whatever shape or form.

Wonwoo gets out of the car as well and walks around it to the trunk to help Jun get his suitcase and his backpack out. Once all of his belongings are on the sidewalk, Jun leans on his car and says, "So, this is goodbye. Come here."

He pulls Wonwoo into a tight hug and they just stay there for a bit not daring to do anything more fully aware of their family neighbourhood surroundings.

"So," Wonwoo starts when they eventually pull apart. That's it. That's his last chance to ask.

_Just ask for his number, dumbass._

_Just ask._

_What's the worst that could happen?_

_Just ask. Ask! Ask already!!!_

"Do you- uh... would you- are we staying in contact?" He lets out intelligently and feels like beating himself up right away.

Jun smiles at him and it feels warm but also a little distant, he looks right into Wonwoo's eyes as he takes both of his hands into his own, "I don't think that we should if I'm honest."

"Oh," Wonwoo lets out. "Right..."

"Wonwoo," Jun sighs. "You're great and it's nothing personal but I told you how I am with romantic stuff... You don't deserve me losing interest in a very short time, it always happens. I just don't have those kinds of feelings."

Wonwoo can't say anything, he just looks down at his own feet standing right in front of Jun's and the other man continues, "Look, I think this was a great experience for both of us but you no longer need me. You're going to make the right decisions for yourself, I can just feel it. I can see it and I'm humbled that I got to be a part of that and I will think of you when I buy one of your books one day and read it... But this, what we had these two days, it feels too precious to be ruined by reality. Don't you agree that it's better to end it on a high?"

_No, I don't_ , Wonwoo thinks.

"I guess," he says.

"I think so too," Jun continues. "We got this rare opportunity to freeze a moment in time and only have positive experiences within it. I will never have a bad memory of Jeon Wonwoo."

Wonwoo breathes out a laugh even though he really doesn't feel like laughing at all. It's the last thing he wants to do right now. He can actually feel a lump of sadness well up at the back of his throat. A lump that will certainly come out in the form of salt water running down his cheeks as soon as he gets to be alone.

"I'm sad," he says shakily.

"Me too," Jun whispers.

_But it doesn't have to end this way,_ Wonwoo wants to say. He doesn't because he can tell that Jun has made up his mind. Whatever he might or might not feel about him, Jun doesn't want to stay in touch and that's that. There's nothing Wonwoo can do about it now.

Maybe he will feel differently after some time. Maybe he will beat himself up about not having tried harder but he feels defeated right now. Jun doesn't want him anymore.

"Goodbye, Wonwoo," he says and presses one last kiss of plush on Wonwoo's forehead. "It was an honour."

"Bye, Jun," Wonwoo retorts with a forced smile and grabs his backpack to walk up to his aunt's house. He doesn't even turn around to watch Jun get into his car. He just sees him drive off and he feels more stranded than when the bus left him behind.


	8. eight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, this is it, the end of this story. the final chapter!
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks for everyone who left lovely comments along the way, they mean a lot and I really appreciate all of the readers of my fics.
> 
> thank you and enjoy this last one here :))

Wonwoo's aunt welcomes him warmly even though she didn't know he would come. Admittedly, it was a gamble. It's not really like he planned this whole thing. One minute he had his last mid-term and the mental breakdown that naturally follows after every exam week, the next minute he found himself buying the bus ticket to go to Mabourgh because he just couldn't do it anymore.

He didn't call his aunt. He didn't dare to tell anyone out of fear that they would try and change his mind. Deep down Wonwoo knew that he would not return to university to study economics again, he just didn't know how he would go about it. He definitely didn't expect that things would go the way they did.

Because Wonwoo really didn't have a plan. He thought he'd just go to the person who would judge him the least and stay there until it's too late to go back. And then he would hope that his father realises just how badly he doesn't want to do economics anymore. It was not the best of ideas, obviously, but it just shows how desperate he was to escape his current life situation.

He didn't know what he would do instead of economics. Wonwoo knows that just two days ago, he would never have had the courage to tell his father that he wanted to study literature, let alone write for a living and now only a day after Jun dropped him off at his aunt's house, Wonwoo is writing a lengthy e-mail to his parents to inform them about where he had gone and what he wants - and will - do from now on.

He tells them everything. How much he hates what he does now, how he doesn't see where he's headed, how he cannot imagine one career option that wouldn't make him absolutely miserable if he stayed in his current degree. He uses some of Jun's words to describe how he feels because they were just so on point and he knows that even his parents would be able to understand. Or well, at least his mother. She has always been more open to listening to his opinions as well.

Wonwoo from two days ago would shit his pants before he would press send on the rather emotional and final e-mail that he wrote but this Wonwoo is confident. He's not bursting with courage but he knows what he wants and he knows that if he doesn't actively go for it, nobody is going to throw opportunities his way. If he doesn't have the courage to ask for what he wants or make decisions for himself and his own life, he's doomed to live it on other people's terms and that just doesn't sound good enough anymore.

He doesn't want to fight with his parents and he certainly doesn't want to have a discussion with his father. He never liked to have serious talks with him but he can feel that he is different and this time he knows that his dad would be able to see it as well. And if he doesn't, quite frankly, Wonwoo doesn't care anymore.

He's going to do what he's going to do. He has made up his mind and if he fails, his father will have the sweet honour of telling him ' _I told you so'_ \- which Wonwoo knows he would love. And if he succeeds, they will see that he was right to choose his own path and he would live the life he designed for himself. Either way, they win, they just don't know it yet but Wonwoo knows and that's why he's confident to let them know that come next semester, he will change his major and he will pursue writing to the best of his abilities and see where it takes him.

He will stay in the same uni and live in the same apartment, they wouldn't have to spend more money on him or help him relocate or anything like that. He's pragmatic. He would have just lost one year of studies and he's fine with that. He'll even pay them back if they insist. He knows they won't but he has thought of everything this time.

Once he presses _send_ , he feels good about himself. For the first time, there is a light at the end of the tunnel that is the next couple of months. For the longest time, Wonwoo felt like he was just driving through the longest tunnel in the world, knowing that he's moving towards something but never seeing the end of it. He never knew what he would find on the other side. He never knew if he wanted to get there. But now, for the first time, he can't wait to take the next step. Or, in his case, the first step. He is so content with his choices that he almost forgets that all of his realisations came at a price. A price he didn't know he was going to have to pay. The loss of someone he never truly had. The person who helped him change his life in just two days.

He misses him.

Wonwoo misses Jun and there is no point denying it.

He doesn't tell his aunt any details about the handsome stranger who dropped him off at her doorstep. He doesn't tell her much of anything because the nature of his visit to her has changed drastically between the moment he set off to the moment he arrived there.

He just tells her he had a hard couple of days in university and wanted to spend some downtime far away from Hawking which is not entirely untrue. He doesn't tell her that he planned on staying with her for as long as it took for him to escape his problems because there is no point to that any longer. His plans have changed completely.

He'll stay with her for about a week and then go back to uni, he tells her. He wants to just be alone for a while and read and write and talk to her about anything and everything and help her around the house if he can. She tells him that she's glad to have him and that if he had said something before he came there that she would've prepared his favourite meal for him. But it's certainly not necessary. Not for Wonwoo anyway. He's just glad that she's well and grateful that she lets him stay.

And even though, Wonwoo tried to brush over the conversation about Jun who drove him there, he knows his aunt can tell. Not the details of it all, of course, but by the way she purses her lips and squeezes his face, he knows that she can tell that it meant something and that it doesn't anymore. Or that it can't because it takes two people to have what Wonwoo wanted with Jun and it takes just one to throw it away.

A couple of days later when his longing for Jun grows out of proportion, he calls Soonyoung to tell him about it. He hopes that it would help him get it out of his system. Get Jun out of his head. At least for a couple of hours because he doesn't think there has been a full hour that he didn't think of him at least once.

"So, uh, I met a guy," he says after the initial greetings and after Soonyoung tells him all of his own latest news which isn't that many because usually not much happens in the span of five days, yet for Wonwoo his whole world has changed.

_"What?"_ Soonyoung exclaims at the other end. _"At your aunt's place?"_

"No, of course not," Wonwoo rolls his eyes. "On my way here... actually."

_"On the bus?"_

"Well, funny story," he starts and remembers that he didn't tell anyone about the incident with the bus. It became such an irrelevant detail in the story of how he got to his aunt's house that he didn't even think of mentioning it to Soonyoug while they were texting. "The bus drivers forgot me at a rest stop..."

_"What? Jeon Wonwoo, please, for the love of God, don't tell me that's how you met that guy because surely, you're not dumb or social enough to talk to strangers at a rest stop where you could get kidnapped or worse... killed!"_

*Uh..."

_"Oh God,"_ he hears Soonyoung shuffle on the other end. He imagines him to be pacing around his room because Soonyoung has a hard time staying still. It was never his forte. _"You're at your aunt's now, though, right? You're not calling me to pay ransom or something?"_

Wonwoo chuckles at his friend's stupidity, "No, I'm fine. I was lucky to get found by... well... literally the most amazing guy."

_"Oh no... what is this soap opera shit talk?"_

"Soonyoung, please," Wonwoo says already exhausted. He wonders if it was a mistake to confide in his best friend about the Jun situation. He's pretty sure he's never had the feelings talk with Soonyoung. At least not in a scenario where it was his potentially romantic feelings they talked about. "I just..."

He lets out a heavy sigh and he can hear his friend clear his throat at the other end of the line.

_"Tell me about him,"_ Soonyoung says sounding a little more serious now. It seems like he finally picked up on the sincerity of Wonwoo's feelings about this stranger who found him at the rest stop.

And Wonwoo tells him everything - well, almost everything. He tells him how Jun found him and how he helped him in the first place. How he drove him to the motel and after realising that they were going in the same direction, how he offered to drive him all the way. He told him about the things he said and how he made him feel confident about changing his major and that Wonwoo even let him read a story of his - which makes Soonyoung jealous because he never got to read anything Wonwoo wrote.

He skipped the night at the Bed & Breakfast but he told him how Jun pretty much rejected him at his aunt's house in the end. How he didn't want to stay in touch with Wonwoo and how that made him feel.

"I just can't stop thinking about him," Wonwoo admits once he comes to a halt.

_"He sounds intriguing... Is he hot?"_

Wonwoo lets out a laugh, "Oh yeah."

_"Like... Mingyu hot?"_ Soonyoung asks with a slightly higher pitch in his voice.

"Different," Wonwoo simply states.

_"How so?"_

"It's hard to describe," he starts. "You know Mingyu is hot in a very obvious way, like, everyone who sees him would agree that he's a good-looking guy but Jun... he's different. There were moments while we were driving in the car where I'd just peek at him and his side profile and he was just breathtakingly beautiful like you wouldn't believe he's real. Then other times he looked so lowkey and normal and easy-going that it was the most natural thing to be around him. And sometimes he would be just so cute and soft, almost like a kitten. And then when he laughed... oh my god, I feel like I was healed from the inside every time I saw him laugh. It was so mesmerising. And then there were times, he'd just sit there and not do anything and not say anything and he would just open his big eyes and I could swear he's the most beautiful person on Earth... his eyes and his lips and his hair and he has those pretty moles on his face-"

_"Wonwoo,"_ Soonyoung interrupts him in a low tone.

"Hm?"

_"You sound... like you're in love,"_ he finishes.

"What?"

_"Yeah."_

"But no," Wonwoo argues. "No, it's not that."

_"I'm just saying it sounds like it,"_ Soonyoung explains and Wonwoo knows he sounds concerned. Wonwoo would be the same way if it was the other way around.

If Soonyoung was the one telling him about a guy he just met like six days ago - four of which he hasn't even seen him - Wonwoo would be concerned too. He would wonder if his friend was okay and he would worry if he's not overacting on impulse. But that's not what it is. Wonwoo knows it's not what it is. Sure, he knows it could get there. He knows it could've gotten there if Jun had let him but it's not like it right now.

And as he agonises over his best friend's reaction, he sees why Jun did what he did. If he was not on the same page as Wonwoo, he probably really did do him a favour by rejecting him. If he could tell how infatuated Wonwoo was with him after only two days, he probably made the right call to assume it would grow if they stayed in contact. The realisation of this doesn't do anything to lessen Wonwoo's longing for Jun. It definitely doesn't take away from what he feels for him. If anything, it just makes him like him more.

Wonwoo sighs into his phone, "Well, I guess I was falling in love a little."

_"You don't say,"_ Soonyoung scoffs on the other end.

"But it's crazy, Soon! How can this happen to _me_ out of all people... in, like, two days with him?"

_"Two more days? After the bus left you a half-day in? Which route did you guys take to Mabourgh?"_ His friend exclaims wondering what took them so long.

"Well," Wonwoo starts shyly. He doesn't really want to go into detail about it. Not with Soonyoung, that perve. "We might have stopped for another night... somewhere..."

_"You slept with him?"_ Soonyoung screeches.

"I- well, yeah," Wonwoo reluctantly admits.

_"What the fuck, Jeon Wonwoo?"_ His friend shouts into the speaker and Wonwoo has to pull his phone away from his ear for a little bit to protect his hearing. _"How do you get all these hot guys to fuck you? Do you have a golden dick or something?"_

"Soonyoung, please," Wonwoo whines.

_"Okay, okay,"_ his friend says quickly. _"So, what are we going to do?"_

"What do you mean? There's nothing we can do, I just have to get over it."

_"But you know which uni he goes to and you know what he studies... I mean how hard could it be to find him?"_

"Soon," Wonwoo says slowly. "I won't look for him or stalk him when he explicitly told me he doesn't want it..."

_"You're right, you're right,"_ Soonyoung agrees. _"It's just such a shame... I would have liked to meet him."_

Wonwoo sighs, "It is what it is."

_"I'm sorry, Wonu,"_ his friend says and Wonwoo can tell he's pouting at the other end.

"Me too," he says defeated.

They hang up after a while and Wonwoo feels a little paralysed. Telling someone about all of it, saying it out loud for the first time, it makes it a much bigger deal for whatever reason. And he lays down in his aunt's guest bed, head buried in his pillow. He wants to cry. He wants to sink into the sheets and become so small he disappears almost. He wants it to stop and more than anything, he wants Jun. He wants him so badly.

* * *

A couple of days later, Wonwoo prepares for his departure back to Hawking. It's been about a week since he arrived at his aunt's house and he would have to get the bus the next day if he wants to make it back in time before his classes start again. He doesn't know if he wants to finish his economics classes since he cannot change his major before the semester ends in summer. It's not that long anymore, he thinks it would've been a waste if he just dropped everything now and basically, threw away all the credits. He could still use them even when he changes his major. He decides to just go to his regular classes again and then see how it goes, maybe it won't feel half as bad with the prospect of it being the last two months of him doing economics.

His parents had called him after they received his e-mail and even though his father didn't sound happy at all about his decision to change majors, they accepted his choices - not without a _"you'll probably regret it later"_ talk which Wonwoo wasn't keen on but it could've been worse so he just let it slide.

He is about to purchase his bus ticket from Mabourgh to Hawking when his aunt calls his name and asks him to go downstairs. Wonwoo is not quite sure what she might want from him because she usually just lets him be and do whatever he wants unless they plan on doing something together that day.

"Yeah?" He calls as he walks down the stairs and sees that his aunt is standing at the front door and holding it open for someone.

"There's someone for you here," she says with a wide smile on her face. A smile that looks suspiciously too bright when Wonwoo couldn't possibly imagine who could visit him here. Apart from his parents and Soonyoung nobody even knows he's at his aunt's and he knows that Soonyoung wouldn't come all this way to see him since they already see each other all the time in Hawking. The same goes for his parents only that they would even less want to see him now, given that he just told them he's throwing away their dreams and expectations for him.

He has to walk a couple of meters from the end of the stairs to get a good look at who's on the other side of the doorway and he feels his heart skip a beat when he sees him standing there with a small smile and his lips pressed together.

"Jun," he says with a hitched breath.

"Hey," Jun answers sheepishly clearly a little embarrassed and Wonwoo can't tell if it's because of his aunt or because of him.

"What are you doing here?" He asks when he reaches the door to stand next to his aunt.

Jun shifts from one foot to the other and scratches the back of his head with a hand, "Well, I was hoping I'd find you here... uh, can we talk?"

"I'll leave you two alone," his aunt says with a warm smile and makes her way towards the kitchen where she was preparing lunch earlier. "Nice to meet you."

"And you, thank you," Jun says politely and shoots her an equally warm smile that makes everything inside of Wonwoo flutter even though it wasn't even directed at him.

"Is it okay if we sit on the porch?" Wonwoo asks and points at a small outside table with three chairs.

"Sure," Jun says breathily. "I don't care where."

They sit down and it feels a little awkward for Wonwoo mainly because he has no idea what Jun would need from him. He reckons it must have been hard for him to come here after he told Wonwoo they shouldn't see each other any longer, so he either forgot something or he changed his mind. Wonwoo knows what he's hoping for but he doesn't want to get his hopes up too much.

"So," Jun starts. "How have you been?"

"Uh, good," Wonwoo answers admittedly confused. "Great actually, for the most part."

"That's- that's wonderful," Jun says and he almost looks nervous. _Almost_ , Wonwoo thinks because he doesn't really know what a nervous Jun would look like. "I'm glad."

"And you?"

"I've been fine, thank you," Jun answers with a blinding smile. "Actually... not that fine, if I'm honest."

"Oh?" Wonwoo lets out. "Did something happen?"

"Yes and no," the other man answers now directly looking at him, eyes piercing like the very first time he saw him back at that rest stop when he asked Wonwoo why he was sitting there all pale and sickly. "I mean... nothing happened since the last time we saw each other... but-"

He stops talking quickly and looks to the floor to his left. His eyebrows furrow and he seems deep in thought. Wonwoo doesn't say anything, he thinks it's better not to say anything and let Jun finish because last time he tried to say something, he got shut down pretty fast.

"Okay, how do I do this?" Jun eventually says more to himself than to Wonwoo and then looks at him again. "Do you remember my friend Minghao I told you about? The one who called me when we were at that one gas station?"

Wonwoo nods.

"Okay, great," Jun continues. "You know... about a year ago or so, we had a sincere talk after realising a pattern in my behaviour towards people I meet and I told him... I told Minghao that I'm about 99% sure I'm aromantic because nothing else made sense. As I told you as well, I just didn't feel those feelings for anyone ever, not even slightly, you know... I couldn't even imagine what that would look or feel like. I mean, I could... I'm an actor, I have to... which is why I was so sure and you know what Minghao said?"

Wonwoo shakes his head because he truly doesn't know what Minghao said. He doesn't even know Minghao.

"He asked me why only 99% if I was so sure," Jun elaborates. "I thought I definitely knew, so he wondered why not 100% and then I said, well, one can never be 100% sure of something one has never experienced. There was the _very very highly unlikely_ chance that I just hadn't met someone I could actually see myself fall in love with..."

"Okay..." Wonwoo says slowly not quite sure where this all is going.

"Well," Jun lifts both of his hands and points them at Wonwoo. "It turns out you're that 1%..."

"What?" Wonwoo positively shouts.

"I know, I know," Jun shifts in his seat. "It's terrible of me to come here and throw that at you like that after what I said the last time we saw each other but I don't want to just have those few wonderful memories with you anymore. I want to make more... I mean, only if you want to as well, of course."

Wonwoo stares at him open-mouthed. His mind is going a mile a minute trying to process what Jun just said.

"Wonwoo," Jun continues. "Ever since we separated, I don't think there has been one full hour in which I didn't think of you at least once. I would read a book and wonder what you would think of it. I would watch a movie and suddenly, ask myself if you might have seen it already and how nice it would be if you were there. I even went out on a date with this one guy from my high school who always kinda had the hots for me, you know, I thought maybe it's just because you were the last person I kissed or had sex with but fuck, I didn't even want him to touch me, let alone do anything else. All I could think about was you. I even cried like two whole days after I realised what I have done and then I thought I just have to come here and see if you're still here and if you'd maybe like to... try... with me... and... well, allow me to fall in love with you."

"Jun..." Wonwoo finally manages to say.

"Of course, I understand if you don't want to," Jun throws in right away. "Don't feel pressured, okay? You don't owe me anything. I just had to come and say it because it's the truth because I can't get you out of my head because I want you, Wonwoo... I want us..."

"I-" Wonwoo tries again but Jun interrupts him.

"And how ironic is it that it just took one person to completely shatter a belief I was 99% sure about, it's incredible. Even if you don't want me... just knowing that it's possible, I'm grateful to you for that-"

"Jun, please just shut up for a second," he shoots him down.

"Oh, okay," Jun says shyly and moves back in his seat.

"Uh, well... I- uuh yes," Wonwoo stutters intelligently and cringes at himself. "I mean, what you said... just now... I- ummm, same."

He watches Jun's face light up right in front of him and he wants to kick himself for not being able to say anything deeper than that. Same? _Same!?_ Really? He has the most amazing guy in the world confess to him and all he can say is _same_?

"Why is it so much harder to say things than to write them?" He eventually asks with a chuckle and it makes Jun laugh.

"Not for me," Jun shakes his head. "We all have different talents."

"I guess," Wonwoo retorts. "So... what now?"

"Well," Jun scoots closer again and takes both of Wonwoo's hands into his own. "We can make it work... I mean, my parents don't live far away from here. I can visit them more often and I mean, yours live in Hawking... so, you'll have to come there eventually too and-"

"Jun," Wonwoo breathes out a laugh. "I am going back to uni..."

"You are?" Jun's eyes open impossibly wide. "In Hawking?"

"Yes," Wonwoo nods. "The same one I'm going now but I'm changing my major this coming semester."

"You are?" The other man repeats with much more excitement in his voice. "Oh thank God... oh my, I know I said we could make it work and all but on the inside, I really wasn't sure how I would survive that long without you. A semester is long, I don't want to spend another day away from you... Oh my God, I'm clingy! I'm too clingy, aren't I?"

Wonwoo can't help but laugh heartily, "No, you're fine... it's the freshness of it all, you'll get used to me and then you'll want to be away for much longer, trust me."

Jun vehemently shakes his head, "I can't imagine that but okay, so you're coming back this summer?"

"Actually," Wonwoo smiles when Jun intertwines their hands and they both move to be closer to each other. "I'm going back tomorrow... there's no reason to lose the credits I've worked for so far, right?"

"Right, good call," Jun nods. "Tomorrow, huh? Don't tell me you bought another bus ticket..."

Wonwoo laughs out loud, "Believe it or not I was just about to do it before my aunt called me down because you were here."

"For real?"

"For real, I was looking up agencies because I'm definitely not taking the same one I booked coming here," Wonwoo explains.

"You're not booking anything," Jun throws in. "We're driving back together, of course."

"Really?" Wonwoo says excitedly.

"Yes, really," Jun rolls his eyes. "How can you even question that? I'll pick you up tomorrow. Bright and early... as early as possible because I know I'll miss you and then I won't-"

Wonwoo interrupts him with a chuckle, "Come here."

He lets go of Jun's hands and pulls him closer by his neck. He connects their lips in a kiss that starts out a little messy, needy, almost desperate but soon settles into a familiar, languid pace.

They kiss for a minute or two before Jun pulls away breathlessly, "I missed this so much."

"Me too," Wonwoo says and reaches for Jun again.

"Umm," Jun starts a little unsure. "Trust me, there's nothing I want to do more than kiss you right now but... uh, it feels kinda weird knowing your aunt is right in there."

"I'm pretty sure she's okay with it," Wonwoo giggles. "She didn't say anything but I know she could tell that you were the reason I was a little mopy and sad the last couple of days, so..."

"You were sad?" Jun pouts adorably. "I'm sorry... I was an idiot."

"It's okay," Wonwoo laughs and squeezes the other's hand. "One very wise man once told me that changing your mind is a sign of strength... thanks for changing your mind on me."

"Huh," Jun lets out in response. "Look at that, I do sound very wise when you say it like that."

"You _are_ very wise," Wonwoo affirms playfully. "It would also be very wise for you to kiss me again before I forget myself..."

The other man chuckles, "Okay, well, in that case..."

And they kiss again and again and again. Between laughter and catching up, they can't let go of each other. They spend the rest of the day together at the house. Jun even stays for lunch and quickly bonds with Wonwoo's aunt who easily grows attached to him right away. Wonwoo is not surprised at all given that both of them are such unique and wonderful characters.

It feels almost like a dream, like something that shouldn't be real. He gets to drive back with Jun again the next day and then have him around whenever he wants? He can kiss him and sleep with him and just be with him as much as he wants now? Surely, he must be the luckiest guy in the whole wide world.

It's almost as difficult to let Jun drive off again in the evening as it was the last time he dropped him off here. But only almost because this time he knows he will see him again. As early as the next morning.

Wonwoo can't believe that being left stranded at the bus station about a week ago would lead to such drastic and positive changes in his life. Not only does he finally get to take his studies and potentially his career in a direction that he's much more excited about but he gets to keep that incredible man in his life and call him his boyfriend. Things work out in mysterious ways and Wonwoo is living proof for that. He literally had to get lost to find everything he's ever wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading all of this story, it would really mean a lot to me to read some comments on my works so please, if you liked it, let me know. 
> 
> if you're too shy, that's okay :)) i appreciate every silent reader too!!
> 
> thanks again and I hope you all liked this little story of mine ^^

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! 
> 
> let me know what you think so far in the comments below and don't forget to leave a kudos if you liked it, i appreciate every read!
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/wonjunnie)   
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